Glib Banter
by uprisingdragon
Summary: "You might have better luck with women if you cut down on the glib banter." Everyone knew that Inigo was the biggest flirt in the army, none more than their tactician. Una couldn't pretend that she hadn't noticed how hard the army was on him, and if she was going to be his rock, so be it. There's nothing wrong with that...right?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

 **It's been a bit since I've posted anything, so I figured I'd keep myself in practice by starting a short fic (though I'm already five-ish chapters into writing it). Here's a bit of an overview: This will be an avatar x Inigo/Laslow story with a few other couples in it as supporting characters. If you'd like to see a story that focuses more on the whole of the Shepherds, read _Shepherd's Song._ For now, this is just for fun! **

**Una is the name of the avatar (Robin) in this story.**

 **Happy reading!**

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Una didn't understand why she had to march with the rest of the group while her pegasus walked behind. Sure, there was some merit in Chrom's theory that it could give away their position, but that was highly unlikely from this distance. At least, that was one of the thousands of reasons she came up with while truding on her sore feet. Una knew deep down that he was probably right to be cautious, but she was a little bitter about the concerned looks he and Sumia gave when they thought she wasn't looking.

The tactician tucked some of her short, purple hair behind her ear self consciously. She had cut her hair in an attempt to seem older than eighteen, hoping that it would stop the Shepherds from treating her like glass. Maybe it was due to the fact that she was single while the rest of the army was starting families, she was entangled in another war, and the whole Validar situation had caused her to lose sleep.

Fortunately, Una was trying her best to see the glass half full. Sure, she may not be a mother, but she was the godmother to practically all the other children. She didn't know what to do with herself during times of peace, so the war was keeping her busy; She would never admit it, but she had grown to miss the thrill of battle. And Validar...at least he kept her mind off the disappointments that followed her around like a shadow.

Her eyes unconsciously flickered to Lon'qu and Olivia strolling a few feet away from her. Despite the hardships of day to day battle, they seemed so happy together. The usually stoic Lon'qu was looking at her so tenderly, and the beam on Olivia's face was brighter than any spotlight. If Una had been the one holding his hand...As soon as the purple haired girl realized what she was doing, she yanked her gaze away. It had been two years. She had long past accepted the fact that he would never accept her feelings, but why was it that when she woke up late at night, she wanted his arms to comfort her?

Una was pulled from her thoughts when she nearly slipped on a pile of pebbles, causing her to wildly wave her arms around until she regained her balance," Why do mountains...," Una gritted through her teeth, making sure to send Chrom a pointed look," have to be so steep?"

He chuckled at her shenanigans, but it was Olivia who handed their tactician her canteen," Here. Have some water."

"Thank you, Olivia!" Una said loudly, smiling to herself when she heard Chrom break out into a laugh. The two were legends in battle, but outside of the field, she and Chrom were constantly joking with each other. What started as a work relationship quickly shifted into one of solace in a dreadful war. As soon as he had gotten a hold of himself, Una gave Olivia a sincere compliment," Really, you're a lifesaver."

The pink haired dancer snorted," Oh, hardly. I just flail around and pretend to dance."

The eighteen year old tried hard not to roll her eyes. As much as she loved Olivia, the girl was too humble. After all, her dancing had caught the eye of many men. Whenever Una tried to dance, she looked like a risen without a head," Your dancing is spectacular, Olivia! It never fails to pick me up, and you know how much your family adores it."

"Oh, no..."

"I do not jest," She assured," Inigo's eyes always light up whenever you dance for parties. I think he might try to take after you," Una regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth, because nothing felt worse than watching the mother deflate," I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking..."

Olivia shook her head and plastered on a solaced smile," It's okay. I just miss him so much."

Thankfully, the moment was interrupted by their leader," The bandit's camp should be at the top of this hill, right Una?" She nodded confidently, having spent half the night studying the map inside and out," Good. They've ravaged surrounding towns with impunity for too long. It ends today."

"Right-"

"Wait, what's that?" Una furrowed her eyebrows, her heart practically leaping into her throat when her eyes landed on their target," Gods, that man is fighting them alone! Come, let's lend him a hand!"

"On it," The purpled haired girl let out a shrill whistle, mounting her pegasus as soon as it trotted over," Chrom, split half the group into offense and the other half into defense. We need to make sure the townspeople are safe. It looks like they have a plethora of dark fliers, so Virion," The aqua haired man perked up at the sound of his name," Lead a unit to take them out. I'll rejoin the group as soon as I make sure the man is alright."

Chrom nodded," Be safe."

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Una flew ahead of the group, too used to flying solo to be nervous about charging in alone. This strategy, while dangerous, was fairly custom for the Shepherds. Since she had a flying unit that could easily scoop up refugees, Una often volunteered herself to scout ahead. It was how she met Gaius, Anna, Henry, Say'ri, Owain, and Cynthia (not that she was counting). This was just part of the routine-

Without warning, a gust of rexcalibur caught her straight in the back. Una gripped the reins as tightly as she could, but the force was enough to effectively push her off of her pegasus, Winnie. One second she was in the air, the next she had landed on the ground with a loud thump.

She didn't give herself any time to recover, instead quickly pushing herself up and flipping open her Thoron and shooting at an approaching brigand," That's what you get, jerk!" Una grumbled as she got to her feet and scanned the sky. Poor Winnie was probably in a frenzy without her-

"Ugh..."

Una's eyes widened in horror and she turned around, only to find a boy with messy brown hair collapsed on the ground," Oh my gods! Are...Are you all right?"

"You...," The brunet roughly pushed himself up," You landed on me!"

The eighteen year old held her hands up in defense," It was an accident, I swear! I would never come up with such a ridiculous strategy-But that's beside the point," Una straightened herself," I'm here to rescue you."

The mercenary choked out a laugh as he regained his footing," _You're_ here to help _me_? I hate to break it to you, milady, but-" The boy froze as soon as his eyes met hers, and before Una could process what was going on, he had wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her in the air," It's you! The strategy bit gave you right away!"

Una squeaked in surprise, immediately reminded of Owain's enthusiastic response when he was first reunited with her. There was a possibility that she had unintentionally stumbled across another one of the future children, but this one's actions had flustered her so much that she fumbled for the proper response," Who birthed you-I mean," He finally stopped spinning, giving her a good chance to look at his face. He was handsome, that was for sure, but that thought alone was beyond inappropriate," Sorry. Why don't we start off with names?" She cleared her throat awkwardly and whispered," You can also put me down."

The brunet smiled giddily and placed her back on the ground, placing his hands on his hips as he observed her as a bit of pink tinted his cheeks," You look so-ah, sorry. I shouldn't have overreacted, but...Er, yes. Can we please start over?" She nodded,"...Ahem! It was your ravishing beauty that caught me so off guard, milady!"

Una physically recoiled," What?!"

Apparently that was not the reaction he was expecting, because his face blushed as red as Cordelia's hair," P-please don't stare at me like that. I get so...terribly shy."

The purpled haired girl crossed her arms," Aren't you the one who's been staring at me? And-why did that line seem so familiar?"

"Haha...it is most likely a coincidence! We share a common foe, and I'm grateful for the help. Can you trust me to defend this place?"

"I don't know; You seem to be avoiding my questions," He shrank under her scrutinizing gaze," What exactly are you planning?"

He placed his hand over his heart overdramatically at her accusation," I aim to crush the rascals who make trouble for the village, naturally! And once the lot of them are sorted, it's off to tea with a beauty of the fields. Heh heh heh...Right then! If that's decided, I'll be on my way."

Una watched him practically skip back into the fray, only pulling herself from her shock when she realized what was going on," Hey, hold on! I can help!"

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After being reunited with her pegasus and defeating the brigands, Una found herself following the mysterious boy through the Shepherds. He had fought far too brilliantly to be a simple villager, and his drive as he wove himself in between people made it seem like he was looking for someone. He definitely had to be someone's child, so the real question now was...who?

The mercenary finally stopped in his tracks, seemingly locked in on his target," Um... Olivia? Might I have a moment?"

Suddenly, everything clicked in her head. Of course this was Inigo! He had Lon'qu's signature dark hair and sturdy build, was skilled with a sword, and seemed to get just as easily flustered as his mother. It would also explain his reaction after she...well...fell on him. Besides the royal children, Inigo was the one she spent the most time with. Whenever she visited Regna Ferox, the boy was never out of her sight. It comforted her to know that she had a presence in his life as he grew up, even if she died somewhere along the way.

"...Er, yes. You see...," Una shook herself away from her thoughts when Chrom approached her side, sending a subtle nod towards Inigo. She shrugged, even though she had figured it all out in a matter of seconds. This was Inigo's life to share, not hers," What I mean to say is...Goodness, this is much harder than chatting up other girls I've met. I suppose it would be quickest to just show you this..."

Olivia gasped," M-my ring? But... I'm wearing it! How did you...?"

Chrom tilted his head," Did he say-"

"Yes, he's a bit of a philanderer," Una smirked," I don't know how the hell that happened with Lon'qu as his father."

The exalt fell silent at the mention of the swordmaster, his eyes coloring themselves with concern," Are you alright?"

She sighed," Yeah. It's been almost two years, and I am happy for them," Una's lips quirked up when she caught sight of the mother and son hugging and tried to make light of the situation," Besides, I feel that it's unfair if I pay more attention to my pegasus than my potential lover. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. If not..."

"N-no! Impossible!" The pair's conversation was interrupted by Inigo backing closer to them and wildly waving his hands," I'd be far too embarrassed for that! Besides, I'd rather watch you dance."

Olivia's eyes widened to the size of frisbees," What?! N-no! I couldn't possibly!"

"I'm shyer than you are, Mother!"

"You are not!"

The parent and child held an uncomfortably long stare off until the captain stepped in," Alright, would you two stop it already? Now I'm the one who's getting embarrassed..."

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"At last, teatime has arrived!" Inigo sang, rifling through one of the wagon's for a kettle. That pretty girl from the village would be very impressed when he told her about all the bandits he defeated. He felt that he earned himself a sweet kiss, and it wasn't like he had anywhere-

"We're leaving, Inigo."

...to be. The brunet huffed an annoyed groan and sent his most pathetic look towards Chrom," What, right now? B-but...teatime!"

The Exalt's expression remained unimpressed," War is hell, Inigo. Now come with us or be left behind."

Una, on the other hand, seemed much more amused by his theatrical antics," Come on, Inigo. No time to waste!"

"Fine, fine! I'm coming," Satisfied with his response, the two marched ahead to gather up the rest of the troops,"...I suppose there'll be more buttercups blooming along the road ahead."

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 **Okay, so let's clear up some things just in case: Una is eighteen years old (she was 16 during the first war), and is one of the only single Shepherds. She is a bit of a romantic and has had many crushes, her biggest being on Lon'qu. That makes things more than a little complicated, doesn't it? If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment! I love hearing from you guys.**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Ready for chapter 2? I loved the response that this story got, and I cannot wait to hear more from you guys! This chapter is going to be a little shorter than the last one, but the next chapter is long so it works out. Hope you guys like it!**

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Una sat on top of a log, slurping her soup as her friends chatted around her. Gaius and Lissa, arguably her closest companions, were talking about the homemade chocolate the villagers at the harbor awarded them. Henry, Lissa's fiance, and Owain, their son, were only a few feet away with Inigo and often interjected their own opinions in the conversation. Chrom and his family were settled at a table, listening in interest as Cynthia dramatically recounted different stories she had heard. Nowi and Stahl, the newest couple in the Shepherds, were giggling about something in the corner. Victims of young love, no doubt.

The tactician dropped her chin in the palm of her hand with an irritated huff. How was it that all her friends were in relationships and she was still alone? She wanted to say that she didn't mind, but it was getting harder to feign indifference when meal times became the couple meeting grounds. It wasn't like she was avoiding romance; quite the contrary. It was often said that Una was one of the more romantic Shepherds, yet she still managed to remain unmarried for an exceedingly long amount of time. It was rather unfair.

Her eyes flickered up to the sky, frowning when she noticed it start to shift into a heavy blue on the horizon. It would be nightfall in no time, and if she didn't double check everything for tomorrow's march, she wouldn't be able to sleep. This was too big of a mission for her not to be prepared.

With a sigh, she returned her bowl to Miriel and trotted off to the supply tent. She waved Frederick off from his duties so that he could eat, taking his notepad and continuing organizing the weapons," Alright, so we have three steel swords, two iron axes...when did we get a silver sword?" Una let out an impressed whistle as she jotted it down," Lon'qu will appreciate that. His killing edge was getting pretty worn down-"

"Talking to yourself?"

Una let out a surprised shriek, chucking her notepad at whoever snuck up on her. The young man groaned at the impact, a familiar enough noise to cause her to relax," Inigo?! You scared me half to death!"

"Why is it every time we meet, I gain a new bruise?" He whined, rubbing the sore spot on his nose.

"That'll teach you," She shot back haughtily as she retrieved her notes," Sneaking up on girls in not an effective way to garner their attention," Una turned her back on him and moved onto spears," So, what can I do for you?"

She could practically hear the smile in his voice," Care to join me for some tea?"

Una rose her eyebrow in amusement, sending a pointed look towards the moon peeking through the opening of the tent," Isn't it a bit late for that?"

"It's never too late for tea."

The purple haired girl clicked her tongue in disagreement," Sorry, no time for anything so frivolous today."

"I'm deadly earnest, my lady!" Inigo gasped," I assure you, there is no frivolity intended."

"I'd be more apt to believe you if you hadn't already invited half the ladies in the army," She teased back. The young mercenary had only been with the Shepherds for less than a week, and Maribelle, Lissa, Cordelia, Anna, Say'ri, Sully, and Tharja had all come to her with complaints. If anything, it surprised Una that it had taken him this long to move onto her.

Inigo pressed his lips in a thin line," Well, well. Is that how it is? My heartfelt invite, earnest as earnest can be, trampled under your sweet boot!"

"I don't think "earnest" means what you think it means," She replied absentmindedly as she checked off the helmets on her list. She stuck the tip her tongue out as she counted the amount, only finishing once they were all accounted for,"...Especially between us."

The brunet coughed and quickly averted his eyes," T-Then even more reason to talk over tea! We mustn't let these misunderstandings cloud our relationship and keep us apart," Without warning, he snapped his fingers," Stay put! I will be back before you finish tallying those torches!"

Una couldn't keep an amused smile hidden as he nearly tripped over himself leaving the tent. He really was nothing like either of his parents, and part of her wondered where his philandering ways originated. She would have to ask either Lucina or Owain about it later.

As he promised, Inigo was back in no time with two cups of tea in hand. Una opened her mouth to protest, but an idea popped into her head before she could go through with it: it wouldn't hurt to keep him busy and give the other ladies in the army a break. But then again...she tiredly waved towards the weapons behind her," Inigo, I have to work."

"You can work and have tea at the same time," He assured," You don't even have to take a seat with me, though I would be honored if a lady like yourself chose to do so."

"You're cornering me into teatime?" After a few seconds of deliberation, she decided not to take offense," You must be very desperate for female attention."

He pouted as he poured his beverage," You would not believe the day I had. A girl agreed to join me for tea, and I was on cloud nine-"

"You're right."

"I'm-what do you mean? I've barely started my story."

Una smirked impishly from her spot in front of the breastplates," You on a date with a girl? I find that unbelievable."

"You wound me, my lady."

The eighteen year old grinned innocently as she crossed the room, taking a quick stop for a sip of tea," Well, what are you waiting for? Go on."

"She spiked my drink and robbed me blind while I was out cold! She even took the shirt off my back!" Una rose her eyebrow,"...Left the pants, though."

"That's...good to know," Una swiftly scribbled something on her notepad," I'll have to talk to Chrom about that."

Inigo's eyes widened to the size of boulders," N-No! Could you imagine his response? I'd be the laughing stock of the army!"

"It's better than getting penalized because people thought that you blazing through camp without your shirt was a form of harassment," She had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing at his appalled look," If it makes you feel better, you would be a laughing stock with or without your shirt on."

"It does not," He whined, dropping his head on his makeshift table with a loud thud," I'll never live this down! How will I convince the ladies in the army go to tea with me now?"

Una rolled her eyes,"...You're incapable of taking anything seriously, aren't you?" She sipped her tea, using the spare time to think of some good advice," You know, you might have better luck with women if you cut down on the glib banter."

"Glib banter? Moi? Why, Una, you do me a grave injustice! What you see as glib is the unvarnished reverence of a heart that yearns for love!" With newfound determination, he hopped to his feet, took the cup out of her hand mid-drink, and winked," I just have to find the right girl. And, strange though it may sound, I find your grumpy cynicism alluring...," With his free hand, Inigo scooped one of hers up and pressed a quick kiss on it," We must talk like this again soon!"

With that said, the philanderer left Una to venture into the night. She blinked a few times, trying to fully process what had just happened. He found her grumpy cynicism alluring? Una grumbled and wiped the back of her hand off on the skirt of her dress," I am not grumpy."

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 **Alright, short and sweet like I promised! This chapter was heavily based off of their first in-game support, but I added a little pizzazz in there to work with Una's character! We will start to see a bit more of other characters in the next chapter, but this story will mostly revolve around Una and Inigo. If you guys have any suggestions, I'm always open to them and loving hearing from you! And, carrying on my favorite tradition, review response time!**

 **Hammerschlag : Thank you so much! I think that banter is incredibly fun to read (and write), especially with this couple! Thank you for your lovely comment!**

 **So, I think that since I am a theatre student (fun fact: I am in college as a stage management major), most of my uploads will be on Mondays! This way, I can keep it consistent and give myself time to write a new chapter if I fall behind. Thank you guys for reading!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry I'm a few days late with my posting. I just moved out of my dorm and got back home. This chapter takes place at the beginning of chapter 16 (Naga's Voice). I based it loosely off of the way things played out in my playthrough, seeing that Una was a dark flier and could use galeforce to hop around the map. We also start to learn more about Inigo and look past his flirtatious ways! I hope you enjoy!**

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Una wiped the sweat off her brow, her focus flickering from soldier to soldier from her spot in the sky. It shouldn't have been a surprise to find Walhart's army waiting to ambush them at the foot of the Mila tree. In fact, she had accounted for it. What she didn't expect was for reinforcements to come so quickly.

She grimaced as an arrow zipped by, missing her head by a hair. There were too many archers closing in, and if she didn't do something about it now, they would get to Cynthia, who was still rather new to this kind of battle. Despite being a dark flier herself, Una knew that she could break past the main group of archers and knock down the thieves. Well...at least she hoped she could.

Pulling back on Winnie's reigns, she soared back towards the ground next to Chrom," Hey, I have a new plan."

"What?" Chrom slashed a soldier before turning to face his tactician," Why?"

"There are a large group archers ahead, so I want you and your family to move towards the rear," Una ordered," Their aim seems pretty good, and I don't want Cynthia or Sumia to get hurt."

The exalt nodded and moved to relay her plans, but stopped halfway," Wait. What about you?"

"I'll be fine," She assured airily," I always am."

Chrom narrowed his eyes, staring his friend down in hopes of her giving in. Una knew that she consistently came to the healing team after battle nursing burns, scars, and even a few arrows. He often berated her for being too careless, but she liked to think she was putting the rest of the Shepherds' safety before her own," You could get shot down, Una."

"Emphasis on _could_."

"This is no time to be coy!"

"I'll go with her."

"Inigo?" Chrom rubbed his temples tiredly as the boy charged towards them," This is no time for frivolity-"

The mercenary forced a laugh," We're in battle, Chrom. I may seem like nothing but a laughing stock, but I do take myself seriously."

Una felt herself cringe at the bite in his words. What happened to the happy-go-lucky flirt she had grown accustomed to? Seeing him this serious unnerved her," What happened? I thought you were helping your parents on the west root?"

"According to my father, I am not needed there."

She almost let out a sympathetic laugh; She had been on the opposing end of Lon'qu's harsh words many a time, and while she knew he meant well in the end, taking something out on his son seemed to wrong way to go. Despite this, there was no way in hell she was going to bring someone with her into the belly of the beast. Inigo couldn't be much more adjusted to battle than Cynthia, and she would never forgive herself if something went wrong.

The two stared at one another for a few seconds, waiting for the other to break. Their gaze was only cut off when a bolt of arcthunder boomed between them. Chrom growled, sprinting forward to slay the mage sneaking up on them," Uma, we're wasting time!"

"Fine! You can come," She held out her hand for Inigo to grab," but be careful; Winnie doesn't like-" The words died in her mouth when Inigo hopped on with ease,"...strangers."

"It's a good thing Winnie and I aren't strangers, then," Although it wasn't the usual optimism she had grown accustomed to, Una did feel herself relax when a relieved smile grew on his face," You won't regret this."

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Honestly, Una didn't know what she was expecting. She heard Say'ri speak about Cervantes; he was made out to be a pompous general with a strong defence. When she first came up with her strategy, she had originally ordered Chrom to approach with his rapier to cut down Cervantes's thick armor and hopefully lower the morale of his soldiers. However, that plan was scrapped, and with no backup plan to defeat the general, Una took it upon herself," Can you see him, Inigo?"

The brunet cut away an incoming arrow before scanning the area," Nay, milady. Maybe if we moved in closer-" He choked on his words when his gaze met the base of the Mila Tree," Hold on, is that him?"

Una tilted her head at his tone and turned to follow his gaze," Oh my-Is that a beard?!"

"He looks ridiculous!" Inigo laughed, garnering the attention of more than a few soldiers," How could anybody take him seriously?"

The purple haired girl giggled from behind her hand," It has to be fake. There is no way somebody would do that to themselves."

"Maybe this is one big practical joke from Walhart."

"You see, I happen to think it's quite the opposite," Una chuckled," Walhart probably keeps Cervantes around to make himself look bett-" The two were interrupted when a burst of arcwind blasted them back a few feet. Tiny gusts of wind sliced at her cheeks and fingers, stinging her skin with stripes of blood. Acting on instinct, Una used one hand to grip the reins and the other to wrap behind her and secure Inigo to her back to make sure he didn't fall off," You okay?"

She felt him nod, his fist tightly grasping the fabric around her waist. He heaved a few heavy breaths before responding," I'm alright. You?"

"I will feel it in the morning, but for now, I'm fine," Una replied through her teeth," Funny how one becomes so accustomed to battle that they forget they're in one."

"I know the feeling," Inigo murmured," Shall we get this over with?"

"It would be my pleasure."

With one fluid motion, the two were soaring straight towards the general with weapon in hand. Cervantes noticed their approach immediately and chucked his tomahawk at them," My whiskers are safe against you lot-victory is inevitable!"

Una groaned, earning a soft chuckle from the mercenary behind her," And when I thought this couldn't get any sillier."

Cervantes recoiled at her comment," Silly? Me?! Ha! Prepare to learn the meaning of the word "beard"," The man's face dropped when his two enemies burst into laughter," ...Fear, I meant fear!"  
Inigo grinned, waving for her to make the first move," After you, my lady."

"What a gentleman," Turning her deadly gaze onto Cervantes, she flipped open her arcthunder tomb and aimed directly at him," Here's how it's done!"

The thunder cracked, surrounding the general with bursts of electricity. His body shuddered and convulsed as it collapsed onto the ground, immediately rendering him immobile. Inigo smiled, squeezing her shoulder in a congratulatory fashion," Beautiful!"

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"Really, Una, you need to stop getting yourself into trouble," Lissa berated as she healed her cuts," Don't get me wrong! I love it when you visit! I just wish it wasn't always in the medical tent, ya know?"

The tactician sent her a cheeky grin," Aw, but I enjoy our quality time. Besides, I always turn out fine. If I don't take the risk, who will?"

"Uh, all of us," Lissa flicked her friend's nose," We are the Shepherds. This isn't our first war."

"I know, but-" They all had families to get back to. They were all married or engaged to be married. They all had lives ahead of them. Una didn't know if she had any of that,"...Nevermind. I promise I'll be more careful in the future."

After a quick checkover, Una exited the tent to check up on Winnie. She hoped that the arcwind hadn't hurt her too badly, especially since she didn't have enough medical knowledge to fix her up.

As she approached the makeshift quarry, Una couldn't help but sigh when she caught sight of Inigo. The mini lecture she received from Lissa, though well intended, was a bit much right for her now. She was not in the right mind frame to banter with the boy," Hey Inigo, have you checked out your-" The words died in her mouth when she saw his eyes rimmed red," What happened?"

He shrugged disheartedly, his gaze never leaving Winnie. His hands gently weaved themselves through the pegasus's mane, calming both himself and the animal," I...," He heaved a deep breath before plastering on the most forced smile she had ever seen," I ran into a pretty maiden, but our encounter didn't turn in my-" Almost as if someone had flipped a switch, his entire being deflated once more," Sorry."

Una blinked, surprised by how quickly his moods had changed. Should she get Olivia? The woman was his mother and would probably know what to say. Then again, he was an adult now. Getting his mother may seem a bit odd. The purple haired girl shifted uncomfortably. She had never been good at comforting people, so maybe the best path was to pretend that nothing happened and let him come to her. No, that was just heartless. She bit her lip," Can I do anything to help?"

Inigo was silent for a few seconds, gently nuzzling his forehead against Winnie's," Can...Can you answer something honestly for me?"

"Of course," At least it was something to go off of. The eighteen year old carefully approached him and rose her hand to pat his back, only pulling away at the last minute to cross her arms," What's wrong?"

"I've been born in this world at this point, and I know that by all technicalities, you are my godmother," Una tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that rolled in her stomach when he referred to her as that," Am...Am I a disappointment to you?"

Her response was instant," No. Why would you be-" She nearly choked when a lone tear slipped from one of his eyes. Inigo immediately turned away from her, but the tremors shaking him gave away exactly what was going on," O-Oh, gee. I'm not very good at comforting people."

"S-Sorry," He trembled," It's just that-My father-he said-he thinks that I'm a...a..."

"Lon'qu?" Una pursed her lips in annoyance. Of course he was tough on Inigo. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened," Look, he probably doesn't mean that. He's not a big fan of things that are different. Hell, it took him three weeks to talk to me!" She cringed when his whimpers intensified. This wasn't about her, it was about making Inigo feel better," But nevermind that! I think you've grown into a wonderful young man. You're very skilled on the battlefield, you're brave, and best of all, you're kind," Una gently coaxed him into facing her and squeezed his forearms supportively," I'm not disappointed at all. If anything, I'm proud-oomph!?"

Without warning, the mercenary lurched forward and pulled her into a tight hug. Una gaped for a few seconds and stiffly held her arms to the side, shocked into stillness. It was only when his grip tightened that she realized she should probably return the gesture. She cautiously wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder, relaxing when she felt his muscles loosen.

If anybody saw them together like this, she would never hear the end of it. Yet, Una couldn't find it in herself to care. She couldn't pretend that she hadn't noticed how hard the army was on Inigo, and if she was going to be his rock, so be it.

After a few minutes, he finally released her with a warm face," S-Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away."

"It's fine," She smiled before lightly punching his arm," We all break down at some point, myself more than others."

Inigo's sheepish grin quickly shifted into the flirtatious one she was so used to seeing," I can be there to hold you when it happens, my lady."

Una snorted," We'll see-Hold on," gripping the back of his collar, she pulled him back before he could saunter off," What happened to your leg?"

"What are you suggesting?" She only rose her eyebrow," Oh. The wound. Nothing to worry about, Una! It's just a graze."

"A graze doesn't cause a limp, Inigo," The eighteen year old sighed before threading one of his arms over her shoulders and wrapping her free hand around his waist," Come on, let's get it checked out."

He pouted," I was going to do it in a few-"

"-we're going right now."

"...That's what I was going to say. We're going right now."

* * *

 **So, we look deeper into Inigo and Una's relationship with each other and the people around them. I feel that aside from Chrom, Inigo's support conversation with Lon'qu makes the most sense. Their father/son relationship is super intriguing to me because they could not be more opposite in personality. I hinted that the B support takes place behind the scenes, right after the fight. With Una, it is shown that she does not have much self-worth. She feels that she would rather risk her life than have one of her friends to this. What do you think?**

 **As always, I'll see you guys next week with the next chapter in this story!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I'm back on schedule this week, and with fun news! This chapter is in Inigo's perspective for the first time! After this point, perspective will switch a lot between the two characters (I think I will keep it just to the pair, seeing that they are the main characters). This is another fluffy chapter to help prepare for what's ahead! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

After a week of strenuous travel, the party had finally come across a small Valmese town with an Inn they could find refuge in for the night. Inigo couldn't be more relieved to take a break, seeing that they had essentially been on the move since they picked him up. It would be heaven to sleep in a bed for once, and maybe he could even coax one of the village girls into going to tea.

Unfortunately, the women of the Valm had a different idea in mind. He asked exactly sixteen beautiful girls out, and all of them had turned him down! Inigo was starting to think that he was losing his touch. Ah well. There was always another town.

The mercenary found himself back at the inn around the end of dinner, not at all surprised to find the usual crowd inside. Many couples had retired for the night, but a small handful were enjoying the delicacy while they could: Owain had told him that he and his family were going to the bakery earlier that day, so the sight of a large basket of sweet rolls with the three drooling over it was no shocker. Anna had set up shop earlier that day and was counting her earnings. Chrom and Sumia had long since gone to bed, but Lucina and Cynthia were chatting with Brady to get him situated. And, as expected, Una was settled at a table in the corner surrounded by maps and books. Someone must have forced her to come down to dinner, and instead of returning to a library, she decided to remain with her food.

Inigo felt a smile tug on his lips. Ever since they reconnected, he had found himself drawn to her. She was unlike any girl he had met before, mostly due to the fact that she didn't immediately dismiss him. He liked chatting with her; it took him away from this damned war.

He straightened himself, checked his breath, and cracked his knuckles before marching forward and flashing a blinding grin," Una! There you are! Were you afraid I'd forgotten our date? Well, put your mind at ease," He plopped down in the seat opposite of her," Here I am!"

The purple haired girl didn't even bother looking up from her book," Hello, Inigo. Did all the other ladies turn you down again?"

Damn. She was always a step ahead of him. Sure, he was trying to keep up with the brightest tactician in the halidom, but you couldn't blame a guy for trying," How did you know?"

"The only time you talk to me outside of battle is when you've run out of other women," She finally pried her eyes away from the scripture and sent him a crooked smile," You're an incredibly easy man to read. You know that, right?"

He shrugged and propped his knees against the ledge of the table, using it to do a balancing act with the back two legs of his chair," I expected nothing less from the world's greatest tactician."

Inigo nearly fell out of his chair when the faintest blush creeped into Una's ears," I try my best," Who knew that she was so cute when she got flustered? He made a mental note to try and get this reaction more often," So are you here to flirt, because I would rather finish my book."

He pouted. It seemed as though Grumpy Una had returned with a vengeance," Why are you so hostile to your poor, faithful friend, Inigo?"

She made the mistake of peeking up and groaned when she caught his sullen disposition," Please don't look at me with that hangdog expression. I'm sure you'll find another young lass who'll fall for your questionable charms."

"Of course I will, but-" Inigo caught himself before he could dig his grave any deeper and frantically tried to backpedal," I meant, of course I _won't_! When I said _will_ , I meant that a beautiful maiden _will_ not impress me...and that I need no other woman than you!" He thought that he done a good job covering up his mistake, but the flabbergasted look he received from Una told him otherwise,"...er...would you stop staring at me like that? It's making me uncomfortable," The eighteen year old snorted as his face heated up in embarrassment," Besides, it...it won't work! I'm telling you the truth!"

"Oh really?" With a firm thud, Una clapped her book shut and crossed to the other side of the table. She dropped into the seat directly next to his and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look straight at her. Gods, she could probably feel the heat of his skin from underneath her thumb," Look into my eyes and tell me that again."

Inigo bit down on his tongue to keep himself from stuttering. He was being a complete fool! How was it that earlier that week he was crying in her arms (something he would rather forget seeing how mortifying it was), but this was what pushed him over the edge? He pressed his lips into a thin line," I...I'm not lying...," His heart skipped a beat as she leaned in even closer," T-Truly, I'm not! I'm...ARGH! Okay, you win! I'm lying!" Satisfied with his answer, Una finally pulled away and crossed her arms smugly," Damn it, Una. I just can't get anything past you, can I?"

She giggled triumphantly," The sooner you learn that, the better."

"Was I at least a little convincing?"

"No, not really," One step ahead, as always. The philanderer couldn't help but chuckle at her remark," Hey, did you ever make up with Lon'qu?"

His heart dipped at the mention of his father. The two were on speaking terms again, but it was very formal and almost forced. Thankfully Lon'qu stopped commenting on his flirtatious nature, but it was replaced by an uncomfortable air with neither knowing what to say," How is the plan for tomorrow's march?"

Una furrowed her eyebrows," You're avoiding my question."

"A-And you're avoiding mine!"

"I'm-" She took a deep breath and rubbed her temples tiredly," Would you like me to talk to him for you? We may not be best friends, but it could help."

Inigo shook his head and stood up to lean against the table," I think that the only thing that could help father right now is some time. There was more truth in your words when you-know-what happened."

He liked to think that he was always on his toes, but when Una's ears turned pink the second time that night, he almost melted into a puddle on the floor," O-Oh, right. Sorry I brought it up, I was just-ugh," She hunched over and starting bumping her head against the table," Stupid, stupid, stupid-"

"Hey, hey," Inigo gently caught her head and pulled it away from the ledge, trying very hard not to laugh at the red welt on her face," It is alright. No hard feelings, eh? How about you show me a smile?"

Una held his supportive gaze for a few seconds before pulling away and heading back to her spot in the corner. Though brief, he swore he saw a hint of dejection," I need to get back to work."

"Have you not worked enough?" Inigo, unwilling to admit defeat, followed behind her and began to rub circles onto her back," You should really-"

The girl immediately stiffened," What are you doing?"

"Relax, my lady. It is just a massage. You're very tense."

"M-Maybe I like being-a little lower please. No, to the left-Th-That's it," She unconsciously leaned back into him and let out a tiny sigh of relief," If this is another one of your schemes..."

"Would you like me to stop?"

Una's eyes popped open so she could send him a stern glare," I never said that."

Inigo chuckled at her antics and continued to try and loosen her muscles. He wasn't kidding when he said she was tense; it was as if he was trying to knead a wooden board. What had this girl done to herself? Did she have any sense of self care at all?

Time passed with Inigo eventually sitting down and Una turning her attention back to her strategies. It took a full fifteen minutes for him to work out all the kinks in her back, but by that point, he had taken a fraction of an interest in her book. Inigo had been reading over her shoulder while finishing up, and at some point, his head had settled itself onto her in the crook of her neck. He half expected her to push him off, but was pleasantly surprised when she remained still and allowed him to read with her. He couldn't say he agreed with everything that the author pitched, and he felt a surge of pride whenever Una underlined something he thought was good.

Eventually Brady approached them in his pajamas with a candlestick in hand," Hey Inigo, are ya comin' to sleep or what?"

The pair glanced around the room in surprise when the realized it was dark and empty," Of course! Sorry I kept you boys up so late," Inigo brushed himself off as he got to his feet and winked at Una," Make sure to get some shut eye of your own, darling."

"I will," Inigo took mental note of the fact that she averted her eyes away from his as she said that. He had heard stories about their tactician getting by with two hours of sleep, and while he was sure she could function well on her own, he wanted to make sure of checking on her in a few hours.

It was a good thing he did. Around 3:00 a.m., Inigo snuck out of his room and back down into the tavern to find the purple haired girl slumped over the table sound asleep. He chuckled to himself before carefully scooping her up and carrying her up the stairs. He silently thanked the gods that he didn't have to deal with a sour spouse and nudged open her shared room. As predicted, Anna was completely out.

Inigo tucked Una in to her bed, flinching every time he heard so much as a squeak from outside. There was no good outcome to a Shepherd seeing this scene play out, even if his intentions were good. Best case scenario, Lucina rolled her eyes at him. Worst case scenario, Chrom skinned him alive.

"Mmm...," His focus flickered back to the dozing girl beneath him and felt a smile sneak it's way onto his face. Even in her sleep, she still pouted," N-No...Stay away..."

A nightmare? Against his better judgement, he knelt down and tenderly cupped her cheek with one of his hands. Una's breath hitched at the contact, but unconsciously leaned into his touch. The mercenary took this as a good sign and murmured," Hey, it's okay. Nothing will harm you."

He almost laughed when her eyebrow furrowed in annoyance," Ngh...Checkmate!" Without warning, her arm shot forward and smacked his nose, sending him backwards onto the floor. It seemed that she was just as defensive in her dreams as she was while she was awake. Inigo sighed dramatically before pushing himself off the ground. It was getting pretty late, and his father would not be happy if he lagged behind in tomorrow's march.

* * *

 **Okay, so this chapter has a bit of foreshadowing in it. I won't say too much, but from Henry being Owain's father (I honestly can't remember if I mentioned that in the after-note last week) to Una's nightmare. However, the majority of this chapter was focused on their B support and building upon their relationship! The next chapter will switch perspectives between the two (seeing that it is probably one of the longest ones), so I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! So right off the back, this chapter is a heck of a lot longer than the other ones. They will fluctuate in lengths from this point on, but average on being longer. It picks up right off where the last one ended. I hope you enjoy!**

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Inigo could not believe how blessed he was. When he woke up the next morning, the downpour of rain and thunder assured that there would be no march until at least later that day. He was hoping that it got pushed back a whole day, but he wasn't one to complain when an opportunity like this was given to him.

He got dressed quickly, hoping to accomplish as much as possible while they were on hold. Realistically, he was hoping to find a private place to practice his dancing. Maybe he would stumble across an empty barn or abandoned house. Or, he could sweet talk a lovely lady into-

He froze in his tracks when a familiar giggle pierced the air. Turning slowly, he nearly choked to find Una smiling at the bartender. Huh. He didn't remember her being married in his future. Not that there were many memories of the two together in the first place, but...it felt weird. It never really occurred to him that his friend had a romantic bone in her body.

Wait, what was he doing? Inigo almost laughed at how silly he was being. They were probably just talking, and either way, Una was technically twice his age. He shouldn't be getting territorial over a girl that was basically his godmother.

Inigo nodded, satisfied with the conclusion he had come up with and placed his hand on the doorknob to leave," It won't hurt to have a sip before you leave, darling."

Instantly, his entire being went cold and all the cheery thoughts from earlier dissipated in a flash. Inigo did a complete 360, his mind set on one thing and one thing alone; he strutted forward, nabbed the drink out of Una's hand, and downed the whole thing.

Una stuttered in shock as he wiped his lip, never breaking eye contact with the bartender," Sorry buddy, I was parched."

He knew the grave he was digging for himself when he snagged her drink, but the last expression he expected to see from his lady friend was a shift into nonchalance," Oh, hey Inigo. Off to flirt with more maidens?"

Inigo's eyes flitted from her vacant expression to the bartender's aghast one, and it took every fiber or his being not to burst out laughing," Ah, not today. I have bigger things to worry about," He made sure to send a pointed look at the opposing man.

Una wiggled her eyebrows, oblivious of the stare off," Such as...?"

He felt his face flush," Do not fret your pretty head over it. I'll be back before we're set to leave," Satisfied with his save, Inigo headed back towards the door and out into the rain. The pellets felt surprisingly good against his heated face, and he definitely needed a chance to cool down after that fiasco.

The further he got away from the inn, the foggier his surroundings became. Had the rain become heavier without him noticing? He was sure that there were more buildings in this town, but at the moment, all he could make out was vague shapes. Where...Where was he? Was it getting darker or was it just him?

The last thing Inigo remembered was stumbling onto the ground before completely blacking out.

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"Has anybody seen Inigo?"

Una's ears perked at the sound of Olivia's voice in the tavern. She closed her book carefully, the wheels in her head turning as she tried to remember," Uh, he mentioned something about doing something important today. He left this morning" She felt her stomach drop," Why? Has he disappeared?"

The pink haired woman nodded fretfully," Nobody has seen him since last night. D-Do you know where he went?"

"I..," In a matter of seconds, Una was on her feet and heading towards the door," Get together a search party. I'll take Winnie and fly above, you and whoever else you can find should search the trees."

She barely paid any mind to the onslaught of raindrops that pelted her face as she all but ran to the stables. The wave a heat that accompanied the warm bodied animals only provided minimal comfort as she boarded Winnie," Alright, girl, let's get out there!"

It was almost as if Winnie could sense something was wrong, because her pegasus didn't hesitate rushing into the storm. A curtain of water drenched her as soon as they passed the door, but that was the least of her worries right now. How could Una be so careless? She was supposed to be the army's tactician; one step ahead. One step ahead. One step...

The purple haired girl slicked her bangs back and sniffled, trying her best to see through the cloud of rain. How was she supposed to find him in a storm like this? With her luck, he would be all safe and sound while she was stuck getting a cold looking for him. Maybe he had gotten sidetracked by a pretty girl that was actually impressed by his charms for once.

Her heart beated uncomfortably in her chest at the thought. Why was it that she was more worried about him being a floozy with a random girl than his safety? Talk about warped priorities-

Hold on. No. She was not jealous of a girl that probably didn't exist. He was her godchild in another life, and he looked up to her as a parent he never had. It would be creepy if she treated their relationship like anything else.

Una squeaked as a bolt of lighting cracked a few miles away and tried her best to calm Winnie. Stupid Inigo. He should've known better than to go out in this weather. He must have a great excuse to-

She choked when a blurry spot on the ground caught her eye. Una squeezed her legs into Winnie's sides, urging her to fly down. The closer she got, the more dread filled her," Inigo!"

As soon as they touched ground, she was off the pegasus and kneeling by his side," Hey, Inigo! Wake up! This is not a joke!" Una cupped his face, futility brushing off the wetness on his cheeks. She shook him a few times for good measure, but nothing seemed to be working," A-Alright. Okay. You can do this, Una. Don't freak out," With a deep breath, she looped one of his arms over her shoulder and hoisted him onto Winnie's back, hopping up behind him," Take us back, girl!"

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Una sat in the tavern with a blanket over her shoulders and her head in her hands. How could she be so ignorant? He had been in the rain, unconscious, for what was likely to be five hours. Libra said that pneumonia was a possibility if they didn't treat him immediately.

Lissa patted her shoulder reassuringly," I'm sure he'll be fine! We've dealt with worse things than colds in this war."

The purple haired girl couldn't find it in herself to respond. Why should she if anything she said would be negative? She had always been a realist, and the possibility of permanent damage-She groaned and burrowed even deeper into her blanket.

She didn't acknowledge the sound of Chrom's boots approaching them, foolishly hoping that she could feign sleep long enough for him and everyone else to go away," How's she doing?"

"Health-wise, she's fine. Emotion-wise..," The croak from underneath the blanket was enough of an answer for the royal pair," Not so good."

"It's not your fault, Una," Leave it to Chrom to know exactly what was wrong with her," You would've stopped him if you had known what was going on."

She huffed," Right. I should have known what was going on."

"That's not what I was implying-"

"Could you two leave me alone for a little bit?" Una snapped, purposely avoiding their concerned stares," I just need some time for myself."

There was a few beats of silence before Lissa grumbled," Great job, bro. You made the situation so much better."

"I was just trying to help..."

Una waited until the siblings' bickering was a faint sound before wandering back to the bar. She wasn't much of a drinker; in fact, she was sure most children could hold liquor better than she could. Drinking her worries away wasn't the best choice, but she didn't have much else to do except wait. If she was lucky enough, she would black out and trick herself into sleeping.

She breathed a pitiful laugh. If somebody had told her a few hours earlier that she would be drinking her sorrows away, she wouldn't believe them. It was a good thing that Inigo had stepped in and taken the drink, because she wasn't very interested in-

Hold on.

Una's eyes slowly drew themselves from the ground up to make contact with the bartender," Sir," She said cautiously," Can you tell me what was in that drink earlier?"

He hardened so quickly that she almost missed it," What drink? You'll have to be more specific, darling."

"Do not take me as a fool," Una bit back. She had read up on interrogations, and the little ticks he had carelessly let slip would not go unnoticed by her.

The man stared at her in almost a demeaning way," Darling, it's okay. I understand that you are worried about your boyfriend-"

"H-He's not my boyfriend," She stuttered, hating the way her ears heated up at the statement. He was trying to distract her, and she couldn't let him know it was working," Earlier today you offered me a drink, and he got to it before I could. What was in that drink?"

The bartender's jaw clenched," Back off, little lady-"

"No!" Her response was so abrupt that it almost broke the man's tough exterior," Tell me what you put in that drink!"

She was about to send her fist into the adult's damned smirk when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her and pulled her back," Woah, calm down Bubbles."

"No, Gaius, you don't understand!" Una desperately pleaded as she was dragged away," He's not a good man! I swear!"

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Una groggily watched the shadows flicker alongside the flame of the lantern shining through her window. She had long since lost track of what time it was, instead losing herself in her thoughts. What was wrong with her? She had almost forgotten about Inigo, allowed Gaius to take her away from that bartender (who she was still sure was behind this), and worst of all, she couldn't see well enough in the dark to finish her book.

Heaving a heavy sigh, she tucked the novel underneath her shoulder and trudged down the stairs into the tavern. The room was still dim, but she could easily light a candle without disturbing anyone. Settling herself in her favorite spot in the corner, she patted the table to find a spare match.

Suddenly, a hand slapped itself over her mouth and a knife pressed against her throat. Una barely had any time to process what was happening before the edge of the blade starting digging deeper into her skin. Seeing no other option, Una gripped both ends of the dagger and began to push back against it. Her fingers stung underneath the sharp edge, and the pungent smell of her own blood attacked her like a storm. With one last inch, she managed to get it far enough away to release one end and elbow her attacker in the gut.

The assassin groaned at the impact, giving her enough time to pick up the nearest object; a chair. Una clutched the top and swung it in a complete circle before smashing it into the man's head. Una breathed heavily, waiting only a few moments to see if she had knocked him out before taking off towards the stairs. If she could make it to at least one room, she could grab a weapon and properly defend herself.

The tactician had made it about halfway to her destination when the attacker dove at her, tackling her roughly onto the ground. Her eyes immediately flew to the knife still present in his hands and attempted kneeing his groin to incapacitate him. This time, her opponent was prepared; He used his knees and free hand to pin her onto the ground, leaving them close enough that she could feel his hot breath on her face," Heh...nowhere to run now-"

Una relied completely on her adrenaline and knocked her head into his nose, leering to herself when she heard a loud crack. The man swore loudly and moved to console his broken bone, giving her the upper hand. She slipped her legs out from underneath his and used them to kick him aside, scrambling to get away from him.

Her focus flitted to the dagger skidding away from the pair, and without a second thought, she scooped it up and stabbed it into the attacker's back.

She watched as he collapsed onto the ground, the blood stain on his back spreading across the white of his shirt. The more it expanded, the better she could breathe. Her adrenaline slowly wore away, but her heartbeat refused to calm down. It was okay. It was all going to be okay.

Una jumped at the sound of feet barrelling down the stairs, flinching once more when a calloused hand cupped her shoulder," What happened?"

She squeezed her eyes shut long enough for her to regain her bearings and turned to face Chrom," I-I was just coming down to read and he-he came out of nowhere-"

"Are you okay? Who was that?"

The eighteen year old narrowed her eyes as Chrom pushed the body over," I knew it."

"Isn't that the bartender?"

"Y-Yes. He...He offered me a drink this morning-but Inigo drank it before-I think there was something in-" She shakily ran her hand through her bangs," Sorry for the commotion. I tried to reveal him earlier, but I-I didn't have enough evidence."

Chrom laughed humorlessly," You do now."

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After receiving an hour long lecture about responsibility from his father and another hour of consoling his mother, Inigo finally found some time to himself. Libra had ordered he stay in bed until the Shepherds were set to march just in case, seeing that nobody could pin what was in his drink. Usually Inigo would love the rest and relaxation, but the lack of company was starting to make him lonely.

He was halfheartedly watching the army from his window when a familiar flash of purple hair caught the corner of his eye," My lady!"

The sound of the footsteps halted, immediately followed by his favorite tactician rushing in," You're awake! Sorry I didn't check on you sooner. Nobody told me you were up."

He smiled," How could I stay asleep knowing I could see your radiant beauty?"

"...sure," Una ruffled her hair awkwardly," How are you feeling?"

"Well, this isn't the first time my drink has been spiked."

She snorted," Oh, I wanted to commend you for your heroics. Your ability to sniff out that poison was astounding! Even I couldn't pick up on it. Was this a skill you picked up before you came here, or were you paying more attention to my tactics book than I thought?"

Inigo blinked. Did she think he knew the drink was drugged? He didn't know whether to be offended that his flirtations were ignored or flattered that she thought so highly of him," Uh..."

"Either way...It means a lot that you risked your life for me," His lips slipped into a soft line as the tactician crossed her arms and leaned against his bedside table," Not that I want you to do it again. I lost a lot of sleep due to you, buddy. But...," Her eyes shifted to meet his," You didn't even hesitate. Why?"

He stared at her, gaping like a fish out of water. He couldn't tell her the truth. She would probably hit him. Yet here she was, letting her walls down for the briefest of moments to figure him out. Inigo bashfully rubbed the back of his neck," You give me too much credit, my lady."

As soon as the words departed his lips, he regretted them," I see...," His resolve crumbled as she turned away to hide from him," Sorry. I guess I'm glad you didn't put your life before mine."

That was not at all what he meant! If she cried, it would be on his conscious forever! Inigo scrambled to make a recovery," But I would do it again!" Her body stilled at this, silently signalling him to keep talking," I would do it in a heartbeat, my lady."

Una pivoted in one swift motion and playfully punched his shoulder," You're a rabscallion, you know?"

He was about to tease her back when a flash of bandages caught his eye. Before Una could pull her fist back, he caught it in his hands," What happened? Did you get into fisticuffs with a jealous maiden over me?"

Inigo was so engrossed in keeping up with their banter that he completely missed her face blushing pink," I-I didn't. The bartender that drugged you-" She swallowed thickly,"-he was an assassin. He ambushed me," Una pulled herself away," I'm fine now."

"He attacked you?" Now that he was paying closer attention, he could see a faint outline of a scar on her neck. Inigo could only imagine the horrors she had gone through the previous night, and for some reason, her case sat with him worse than others. If only he had fought off the poison. Maybe then she would be okay," Are you sure?" He watched her carefully, teetering between further interrogating her and letting her come to him with it," You know you can trust me with any-"

His preposition was broken off by Cordelia sticking her head inside the room," Hey Una, Frederick had a question for you! I think it had something to do with our route. Would you mind stopping by to see him?"

"N-Not at all," The purple haired girl brushed herself off and sent Inigo a polite smile," I hope you recover soon, Inigo."

He blankly watched her move to leave the door before blurting," You know, my offer from last week still stands."

"Your...offer?"

He winked cheekily," If you need someone to hold you, you know where to find me."

* * *

 **Things are getting serious! Is Inigo starting to get jealous? Why? Also, is Una getting too attached to him? This is the beginning of the second arc in this story, focusing more on the blooming relationship between the two. I feel like this chapter mostly speaks for itself, so I'll leave it at that! As always, I love to hear your feedback! Do you guys have any predictions for what's in the future? Thanks for reading!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Sorry that this chapter is coming in so late in the day, summer-stock has officially started! I'll be working long days, so the publish times will be unpredictable. Aside from that, we are starting to get into their relationship in this chapter! I wanted to have the two talk things out, so there are more characters in this one! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"So, you and Inigo, huh?"

Una rose her eyebrow in confusion as the army marched towards their next destination. Per expectations, Chrom had confiscated Winnie and ushered her towards conversing with the other Shepherds. Instead of doing that, she had been avoiding conversation and slowly inching towards the back of the party in hopes of hopping on the back of somebody's horse. Anna had unknowingly put a pin in her plan,"...What do you mean?"

The redhead grinned mischievously," Look, everybody else may be blind to what's really going on, but I see right through your facade."

"What facade?" Una should have seen this coming," Just because I'm nice to Inigo does not mean I am attracted to him. A relationship between us would be inappropriate on so many levels."

"Really? Because from where I stand, you two seem pretty into each other," Anna started ticking off reasons on her hands," You two are partners in battle, Inigo gave you a massage, he carried you to bed, you went crazy when he went missing-"

"Hold on," The purple haired girl held her hands up in defense," He never carried me to bed. I would have noticed."

The sly look Anna gave her said otherwise," So you think you just magically appeared in our room yesterday morning?"

Oh.

Now that she mentioned that, Una couldn't recall making the transition from the tavern to her bed. She could feel her ears turning pink and prayed that it didn't show beneath her bob," Maybe he was just being nice. We are friends, after all."

"Friends don't flirt all day."

"We don't flirt all day!" The tactician huffed a sigh," Alright, so suppose I did find Inigo and myself compatible. Suppose I found his smile charming and his swoopy hair cute-which I don't. I am his godmother in another universe. That's what he thinks of me. That's what I want to be. There is a seventeen year age difference between us. His parents are some of my closest friends. Everyone would look down on us."

Anna snorted," That doesn't mean he's not attractive."

"Anna!"

"What? It's true!" She wove some of her scarlet hair between her fingers, feigning nonchalance," Don't worry. He doesn't make enough money to be my type," Una groaned, moving to get past the secret seller," Oh, and Una?" The redhead sent her a cheeky grin," Your jealousy is showing."

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"Owain, do you remember anything about Una?" The white haired boy cocked his head in confusion, prompting Inigo to explain," You spent more time with her when we were younger."

He nodded slowly," Our godmother was a tactician of legend! She and her fearsome steed, Winnifred, tore through fields of risen without garnering a scratch! Bards have sung that she could be seen carrying the skins of wyverns she-"

"Should I come back when you're ready to be serious?"

"Hey, I am being serious!"

"Seriously...childish? Seriously...embarrassing?"

"Do you want my answer or not?" Inigo pursed her lips, hoping that his glare was enough to push his acquaintance into telling the truth," Aunt Una did not differ too much from how she acts now. She was very warm and fiercely intelligent in all my memories."

The brunet couldn't help chuckling to himself," Was she grumpy too?"

"Maybe she wouldn't be in a foul mood all the time if you stopped flirting with her," Inigo's grin immediately dropped from his lips, a scowl forming in its place. It was stupid to assume Owain would know anything more than him. The boy probably couldn't differentiate between fantasy and reality," Why do you ask?"

Inigo blinked at the sudden question. Truth be told, he wished he knew the answer," Can't a fellow be curious about a cute girl?"

Owain deadpanned," She's our godmother."

"You're no fun," The seventeen year old crossed his arms and started to think of a plan B," Maybe Lucina would be willing to help me out."

"What?! No-"

"Help out with what?" Said girl spoke up, followed closely behind by her younger sister, Cynthia.

Inigo felt his hands start clamming up. He was sure the Lucina could assist him, but Cynthia was an entirely different matter. She would probably take his flirtations seriously and tell the entire camp that he was planning on marrying Una before they reached their destination," What's wrong, Inigo? No, wait! Lemme guess," A wicked smile crossed her face," You got shot down by another pretty girl, huh?"

Owain burst out laughing, earning a glare from Inigo," I don't know why you're so jolly. You're guaranteed to lose 100% of the jousts you never attend, my friend. Perhaps you should name your next move, _Eternal Chastity_."

"Sure, why not? I've got the perfect teacher for it right in front of me!"

"Why, you little—!"

"Boys!" Without warning, Lucina grabbed the back of both boys' heads and smashed them together," Now is not the time to argue about your lack of relationships. If we want the Shepherds to take us seriously, we need to prove to them that we are willing," She sighed and turned her attention back to her sister," Why don't we discuss the plan for the next battle?"

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Anna didn't know what she was talking about.

Why would Una have feelings for Inigo? All in all, they had only known each other for a little over two weeks. Forming feelings that quickly was ridiculous. Sure, he was very attractive, but you couldn't build a relationship based off of looks. Did she think that Una was projecting her former crush on Lon'qu onto Inigo? No, that was ridiculous. Aside from their hair color and gender, the two had nothing in common. Inigo was a lot kinder and seemed to have an interest in her. Lon'qu, on other hand, wouldn't stand within a ten foot radius of her.

Maribelle, whose horse Una had managed to hop on, seemed to notice her inner turmoil," Is something on your mind, darling?"

The tactician opened her mouth to answer, but all the came out was a huff of air; She couldn't tell Maribelle about what was going on. She would say it was inappropriate to have those thoughts, and to be frank, Una agreed," Trouble with men."

"Ah, the male species," The blonde clucked her tongue," Tell me; what scoundrel has caught your eye this time?"

"Well, I wouldn't say he caught my eye, but-Hey!" Una pouted," What do you mean by _this time_?"

The troubadour produced the most ladylike snort she had ever heard before listing off," You began with your short admiration with Chrom, then you mentioned in passing that Gaius had a "fine body", not to mention your long time infatuation with Lon'qu that only ended when-"

Una pinched the bridge of her nose," Alright, I've heard enough. Can we focus on the problem at hand?" Maribelle nodded, the damned smirk never leaving her lips," This...er...person and I have good repore, but he confounds me! You were right on the nose when you called him a scoundrel, but when he's not trying to be irritating, he's rather...nice."

The blonde tapped her chin thoughtfully," He seems like an interesting character. Tell me, what is keeping you apart?"

Before she could stop herself, she blurted," Age difference."

If somebody had struck her with a bolt of thoron, it would've hit her lighter than the realization of her own mistake. What had she done?! Now Maribelle would know exactly what she was talking about and put the pieces together. She was ruined.

She thanked her lucky stars that Maribelle didn't see her aghast reaction," I see. I did not know you had an interest in older men, Una," Older men? She almost passed out in relief," Well, if I were to give any advice, I would suggest you see what happens. Your gentleman may be a bit of a rabble rouser, but you seem to care for him."

Her heart skipped a beat," I-I don't care that much! I don't even know if he likes me that way! I'm good at strategy, not love-" She choked,"-Loving the idea of being in a relationship, even though this man and I are not at that place right now," Geez, she needed to work on her lies.

"Una, listen to me," Maribelle sighed," I understand how you are feeling. Gaius and I did not start off on good terms in any way, shape, or form. I thought he was heartless and crude. Despite this, we somehow opened up to each other and now...well, we are married and have a future child," The noble chuckled to herself," I know that your heart has been broken many a time, and as your friend, I want you to finally be happy. However, the only way you can do that is to allow this fellow of yours in."

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 _She's our godmother._

Inigo bore his eyes through the tiny hole in the roof of his tent, unable to get those words from earlier out of his head. He didn't know what he was expecting when he asked Owain about Una, but hearing that was the last thing he wanted. Fate was cruel like that. The one girl that turned his legs to jelly and filled his head with carefree thoughts was just out of his reach.

He rolled onto his side, gripping the edge of his blanket tighter. He didn't know what he was thinking in the first place. It was more likely for Tharja to return his advances than Una, yet he remained headstrong in his pursual. Was her smile really worth ignoring all of the other other eligible ladies?

Inigo grumbled and kicked the blanket off his body, deciding that sleep at this point was a lost cause. A wave of cool air licked at his cheeks as he ambled out of his tent and towards the fire at the heart of camp. He felt a smug grin tug at his face at the sight of Severa leaning heavily against her sword," Sleepy?" Usually she would throw back an insult (or in some cases, hit him), but her only response was a grunt," Alright, why don't you head off to bed? I can take over the watch."

The redhead blearily brought her gaze up to meet his," What's the catch?"

"No catch," To emphasize his point, he nudged her towards her tent," Now go turn in for the night. We have a long march ahead of us tomorrow."

After glaring at him for a full minute, Severa finally gave in and trudged off to get some shut eye. He waited until she was out of sight to take her spot, picking up a stray twig to poke the crackling logs in the fire. He felt much more at ease outside rather than trapped in his claustrophobic tent. This kind of weather reminded him of those rare nights he could sneak out and practice his mother's dance. It was getting a bit harder to find the time to rehearse with the same woman breathing down his neck, but he couldn't find it in himself to get mad. It was nice to know she cared.

His senses perked at the sound of a twig snapping nearby. Was Severa coming back already? She seemed pretty out of it a few minutes earlier. Inigo held the hilt of his sword cautiously as he got to his feet, squinting in the darkness," Who goes-" He choked when a familiar head of purple hair came into sight," Una? What are you-"

"You weren't supposed to be on night watch," She stuttered before briskly turning away," Oh gods, why out of all people did it have to be you?"

Inigo would have been offended if not for the fact that she was trembling like a leaf. He had learned not to take some of her comments to heart, and worst case scenario, he could cry about it later," Were you up studying late again? Although a gorgeous lady like you need not worry beauty sleep, I would rather not find you passed out in the weapon's tent if we were to be ambushed."

There was a beat of silence before she turned her head slightly," So Anna was right?"

"About what, my dear?"

"You carried me back bed that night in the tavern, didn't you?"

Inigo felt his face heat up at the accusation. Of course he had been caught. With his luck, he was surprised that it wasn't Chrom or Lissa," I had the purest of intentions, I swear! I-I would never take advantage of a lady in that way."

Una heaved a sigh before turning back to face him. It was only then that he realized she was in her nightclothes, which only consisted of a pair of loose bloomers and a cream colored top. Despite seeing her in skirts shorter than what she was currently wearing, something about this attire seemed awfully intimate,"...Uh, Inigo?" Her voice came out a bit more vulnerable than usual, making her discovery of his gaze even more embarrassing," Why are you looking at me that way?"

He swallowed thickly," N-Nothing, milady," She giggled, causing him to realize his mistake," What I meant to say was-Oh gods," Inigo dropped his hands in his hands," Sorry, Una. It won't happen again."

The mercenary was positive that she was going to leave him in the dust and practically jumped out of his skin when he felt her warm presence settle beside him," You don't call me that often, you know?"

He curiously peeked from behind his fingers," What?"

"My name," She pulled her knees to her chest, watching contently as the flames licked away at the firewood in front of them," It's always _darling_ , or _dear_ , or _my lady_ ," He felt his breath catch when she lightly bit her bottom lip," I never really liked my name before, but...," Her ears shifted into a light tint of pink," I like it with your accent. You make it sound romantic."

Inigo dropped his hands from his face with a playful smirk," Really? I'm honored, my la-Pardon me. Una," He chuckled to himself," That might take a little bit to get used to," But gods, if using her real name always earned him the sparkle in her eyes that this time did, he would recite it as often as possible. And that smile? He was sure it shined brighter than the sun. He brushed her cheek with his knuckles and grinned," By the gods! Finally, she smiles!"

The purple haired girl rolled her eyes," What do you mean by "Finally"? I smile all the time!"

"If by _smile_ you mean _pout_ , then I completely believe you."

Una gasped in feign shock," When did you grow a spine, Inigo?"

"I guess you're rubbing off on me, Una."

Instead of a witty response, she bashfully turned away," I guess."

Inigo felt his heart skip a beat, secretly pleased that these soft moments from his favorite tactician were becoming less few and far between. He almost melted when a tiny yawn escaped her lips," Tired?"

Her smile faltered, and the pink hue on her cheeks shifted into a startling shade of gray," I'm fine. I doubt I could go back to sleep if I wanted to."

"Plagued by nightmares?" She nodded," Would you like to talk about it?" She shook her head," Alright...How about this?" With the caution of a man approaching a bear, he carefully tilted her head to lie on his shoulder. He was sure that if she was not sleep deprived, this action would have earned him a fist in his face. The fact the she didn't budge was a surprising victory," If at any time your night terrors seem to overcome you, I will wake you up."

Una remained placid," You promise?"

He opened his mouth to use his usual flowery language, but stopped himself. Now did not seem like the best time to flirt. Instead, he gently wrapped an arm around her tiny frame and brought her closer," I promise."

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 **Lots to unload here! So, starting off with Anna and the fact that she _knows_. That may not seem like a big deal now, but Anna has connections that may or may not push them along. I think that Owain's relationship with both Inigo and Una is super important because he is Lissa's son (Lissa is Una's closest friend, and you will see more of them together in the next few chapters) and he is close with Inigo in fates. Now, saying this, they are not friends right now. Severa's role will also grow, but for now she is just making short cameos. If you've read Shepherds Song, you may have a sneaking suspicion for why I put Cynthia in this chapter. Once again, that's all I'm saying concerning that. Maribelle as a character has really grown on me, and I really liked how she interacted with Una. In my mind, the three of them are close friends because they are all close in age and personality. And FINALLY, we have Inigo and Una flirt hardcore (they're not even in denial anymore, haha). Review time!**

 **Lance** **Eterna : Okay, I am SO EXCITED for the kids to come! Morgan is definitely going to be in this story (he plays an important part in later chapters), but I want to be a little sneaky about what I plan on doing with Soleil. All I will say is that both kiddies are going to make an appearance in this story, and it is going to bring drama! Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Alrighty, so the next chapter is going to be a bit weird because it is two completely different days. But bear with me, the payoff is going to be worth it! As always, thank you guys for reading and I always love to hear your feedback!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Before I get started, let me say that this chapter is going to be a bit different than the others. The first half is a semi-continuation of the last chapter, and the second half is a set up for the next few chapters. The first half takes place right before the volcano chapter and the second half takes place right after it. I hope that clears up any confusion! Enjoy!**

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 _"You have to...survive...G-give it to him..."_

 _"Give it to him yourself, you one-eyed clod of a man! I'm not going anywhere and neither are you!"_

 _"Fool woman! I'm f-finished... Don't let it...be for nothing... For once in your life...just do what I say... Go! Go, gods damn you! GO!"_

 _"BASILIO!"_

Una shot awake with a cry. She clutched her arms tightly and rocked herself as her surroundings slowly faded from the mud-soaked battlefield to her tent. The ringing of thunder in the sky still echoed in the back of her head, the coppery smell of blood still fresh in her senses," I-It's just a-a dream," She coaxed herself," Everyone's okay. Everyone's..."

She choked on a sob, pushing her fist over her lips to muffle it. Ever since they ran into the Validar on Carrion Isle, her nightmares seemed to be never-ending. They started off tame and vague, but slowly shifted into detailed horrors that felt more like reality. The only thing that seemed to keep the terrors at bay was sleeping with Inigo, but she had visited him almost every night that week. It was only a matter of time before he started to question her.

Una shakily ran one of her hands through her hair, her gaze flickering out the flap of the tent; the moon was still high in the sky, meaning that it couldn't be that late. There was always the option of trying to go back to sleep, but after a nightmare like that...

The brown eyed girl sighed and pulled off her pajamas in place of her dark-flier uniform. Maybe a walk would clear her mind. Her feet carried her towards a makeshift trail at the edge of camp. If she remembered correctly, there was a small lake a few feet away that was secluded enough to let her catch her breath.

She followed the beaten path until her bare toes touched the water, sending a chill up her body. It served as a brutal reminder that she was indeed awake, but did nothing to calm her anxiety. It just...seemed so real. Were they right to send Basilio and Flavia out on their own? What if her dream turned out to be a vision?

Una bit her lip to keep from crying again and settled against a tree on the bank," Y-You better compose yourself b-before you-before the others see-oh gods," She squeezed her eyes shut, shame rolling through her as more tears slipped down her cheeks," Get i-it together, Una."

She nearly screamed at the sound of a twig snapping nearby and scrambled to quiet herself down. Had one of the Shepherds seen her leave? She unconsciously sank lower beneath the brush.

The approaching figure stopped in the clearing a few feet in front of her, their gaze focused on the lake. If she had to guess, this person was male and definitely young judging by the spring in their step. Una wracked her brain to try and remember who was supposed to be on guard that night, but it was getting harder to remember due to the fact that Inigo kept covering shifts.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the surprisingly soothing sound of rhythmic footsteps. Was this person...dancing? Una sneakily peeked out from her hiding spot and nearly choked when met with the sight of the figure moving as elegantly as Olivia. Each move melded into the next with ease Una had only seen the pink haired woman accomplish. In fact, it seemed to be exactly step-for-step a dance the tactician had watched many times. Olivia must have quite the admirer.

Una slowly began to relax, allowing the movements of the man in front of her replace the horrible images that came with her nightmare. The more she watched, the further the scent of blood and screams of Flavia seemed. She felt herself slowly ease back more and more until she was resting against the tree once more.

Suddenly, a twig snapped behind her. Una immediately shot up, realized that she gave away her hiding spot, and ducked under the bush in a pathetic attempt to hope the dancing stranger wouldn't notice her.

She felt her heart pound against her ribcage as the footsteps came closer and closer until a strikingly familiar voice pierced through the air," All right, where were you hiding tonight, Mother?" Una didn't have enough time to talk herself down from her panic attack before the boy pulled her out by the back of her dress," There you-U-Una?!"

"I-Inigo!" The purpled haired girl scrambled away from him on her hands and knees until she was backed against the tree," I didn't mean-I didn't know-"

He quickly kneeled down next to her and laughed nervously," And here I thought I was the one following you around! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on me!" Inigo rubbed the back of his neck," Well anyway, could we keep this little encounter between us? I'm rather shy when it comes to my dancing...," Una nodded, knowing that her voice could betray her if she spoke,"...er, are you alright?"

She could only find it in herself to shrug. She couldn't tell him about Basilio dying alone at Walhart's hand. It was still too fresh in her mind and she highly doubted it would bode well with her friend. Her eyes flickered from place to place, looking at anything except Inigo. She needed to sound convincing if she didn't want him to worry," I...," Her voice cracked, and Una could feel tears blur her vision. Gods, why was this so hard?

He immediately clammed up," O-Oh. Don't cry, Una! I hate seeing beautiful women like you so distressed!" With flattery coming up as a failure, he moved on to his next tactic," I'm not mad, I promise! You can even make fun of how klutzy I was! I know how much you love poking fun at me. How about a smile?" She didn't even try to fulfill his request, knowing that the end product would look absolutely mortifying," Okay...no smile then," Una felt Inigo gently cup her cheek and tilt her head up," Hey, look at me," Instead of his shakey tone from earlier, his voice shifted into something much warmer; no touch of weariness or pity hidden beneath. Maybe he wasn't the best with expressing himself, but she had to admit he was more sensitive than she initially thought. In fact, she feared that if she met his gaze, she would crack," Una, please."

The raw sincerity in his voice did the trick, and just as she predicted, she broke down when she met his eyes," I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"Hey, it's okay," He cooed, making sure to brush any stray tears from her face. If he was worried, he was doing a wonderful job of masking it. Inigo slipped his free hand in hers, squeezing it comfortingly before pushing forward," This is about more than getting caught, isn't it?"

Of course he knew. She was foolish to think that she could hide from her nightmares forever," I don't-I don't want to t-talk-" Una looked from their interlocked hands to his stare before allowing her shoulders to droop," I-I just want t-to sleep without someone dying."

"Someone...," Something seemed to click in his mind," Your nightmares. You had another nightmare," The brunet swore to himself under his breath," I apologize, Una. I should have been there for you and instead I was-"

"Been there for...," She hiccuped," W-What are you talking about?"

Although she could barely make out his face in the shadows of the night trees, she swore she could feel his face heat up. How close were they anyway? She prayed that he couldn't sense her own cheeks warm," Ah, well...you seem to sleep better when you are not alone. And I figured that since I can function with very little sleep, I would be there for you."

"You've been taking over guard shifts...for me?"

He let out the faintest of chuckles as he brushed a strand of hair from her face," Did you honestly think I was just stepping in each night to impress the ladies? For a tactician, you can be a little oblivious," Inigo pressed his lips into a thin line when she sniffled," Right. Sorry. Not the time for banter, I know. Here, let me start over," The mercenary took a deep breath," I know it's scary. Believe me, many people deal with the same predicament," His voice went quiet," Hell, I combat nightmares myself rather frequently."

Her eyebrows furrowed in worry," You never told me that."

"That isn't the point," Inigo quipped while poking her nose," I guess what I'm trying to say is that you don't need to worry about putting up this front of yours. You are not alone in your fears. And if anyone tells you anything differently, send them to me. I'll make sure they know the feeling."

Una stifled a giggle at the prospect of Inigo squaring up against wrong-doers. As lovely as he was, it was hard for her to imagine him striking fear in the hearts of her enemies. His face lit up at the slightest hint of joy, even if it was at his expense," I'm rambling, so I'll cut to the chase: I know you feel alone. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

For the first time in Una's life, she was completely speechless. Before Inigo had come into her life, she kept everything to herself. Her nightmares terrorized her on her own, she was left to watch her friends marry, and her hope of having a happy life had started to diminish. After all, she was useless unless she was fighting in a war. Without a war, what would she be?

She didn't realize how much her life had been in a downward spiral until Inigo reached out his hand and pulled her out. Every step of the way, he noticed her. What may have seemed like frivolous flirting at first now meant something much deeper. There may still be an age difference and social norms to follow, but at the moment, Una wanted to indulge herself in something she had been denying for far too long. Pride be damned, she dove forward and buried her face into his chest," Thank you, Inigo."

Inigo stuttered in surprise at her sudden action, taking a few moments to relax before returning the gesture," Of course."

"Oh, and Inigo?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think your dancing is bad."

"...Thank you, Una."

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"Chrom, this is a silly idea."

Her friend rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the relaxing scent of water and herbs with a smile on his face," I care to disagree! I've heard wonderful things about hot springs, and I think it would be beneficial for the army to take a night off. You especially are in need of a good soak."

"It's not a good investment of our time-wait, what do you mean by that?!"

"You've been a bit high strung lately."

"I have not!"

"Oh sure. Do you mean to tell me that you act like the world is against you all the time?" Chrom's features softened before lowering his voice," We can both pretend in front of the Shepherds all we like, but both you and I know that there's more on your mind than you're willing to tell me," She swallowed guiltily," Are you sure you're okay?"

Una kept her gaze firmly focused on the ground, only looking up when she was sure her response was the best one," I admit that I have lost a bit of sleep here and there, but that is to be expected of an army's lead tactician."

He nodded solemnly," This war has been more taxing than we would like to admit, and after what happened to Basilio...," Una fell silent, the memories unwillingly pouring back in her head: Flavia had joined back up with the Shepherds, only to reveal that their friend had been slain by Walhart. Lon'qu and Olivia had taken the news hard, and although he was putting on a brave face, Una was sure Inigo was hurting as well," We deserve this. After all, it's not every day you stumble across a hot spring!"

"That's right—our hot springs," The two yelped in surprise as Anna's sister, Anna, popped up out of who knows where," Each has its own special properties! I assure you that your time here will be well spent. You may or may not have noticed, but your swords masters have already hopped in a bathhouse! No turning back now!" Una held Chrom's gaze for what felt like an eternity before throwing her hands up in defeat. Anna took this as her chance to further her sale," Anyway, make yourselves right at home. We're honored to have you. And, just for you, we've got a deal on Yukata!"

Chrom blinked" Yukata?"

"You've never heard of a yukata? Well, take a look at the one I've got on. It's basically a loose robe that you fasten with a belt called an obi. Only 500 bullions each!"

Una's mouth dropped open," We are _not_ spending 500-"

"Chrom! Una!"

* * *

The pair turned to find the war cleric barrelling towards them," What is it, Lissa?"

Una placed a consoling hand on her friend's shoulder, only to get pushed off by Anna," Hi there! Are you looking for your yukata?"

"Do they even make yukatas in sizes that small?"

"Har har, very funny. Do I look like I'm in a laughing mood?"

The tactician groaned," Can we get off the topic of Yukata for just one second? What's wrong, Lissa?"

The blonde stuck out her tongue at Chrom before answering," I just went to check out the hot springs, and they're full of monsters! GROSS!"

Her brother's jaw dropped," You mean _Risen_?!"

"No, I was talking about the monster under my bed," Lissa smacked the back of her brother's head," _Of course_ I mean risen!"

"Ugh, not again...See what happens when you set up shop in the country?" The three shot bewildered looks towards the merchant," What can I say? We're so good, even the wildlife just can't stay away!"

Lissa pursed her lips," Um, these guys weren't fluffy enough to be called wildlife," Anna only shrugged,"...Anyway, Chrom, are you coming or not?! We can't relax in the water until we kill all the dead things in it."

Una rose her hand," Or we could just leave-"

"Good point," Chrom stated, blatantly ignoring his friend," And they might attack the other guests. To the hot springs, everyone! We have to take those Risen down!"

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 **Surprise! We are in the hot springs! Now, I switched things around a little bit so that it is not a deeprealm in this version. I felt that it would make less sense for them to go out of their way during a war, so I made the hot springs more convenient. I'm going to refer to Anna's sister (the hot spring one) as Anna for simplicity's sake. She will appear a lot more in the next chapter. Speaking of which, the next chapter is going to be very important for Inigo and Una. I won't say how, but things are going to get interesting. Review time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **Alright, so everything to do with Morgan is going to seem weird at first, but it will all make sense in the end! Saying this, Morgan is the younger sibling, and Soleil is older. However, Morgan is going to pop up much sooner than Soleil will!**

 **I am so excited for you guys to read the next few chapters! I don't mean to be cliche, but the drama is going to be crazy! As always, thank you guys for reading and I love to hear any feedback you've got!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I'm sorry that this chapter is coming a few chapters late! We were in tech on Monday and opened yesterday, so I wasn't able to put it online. However, I hope that this chapter makes up for it! Full disclosure, this is definitely one of my favorites that I have written so far! I don't want to keep you here for much longer, so I'll just give a quick re-cap! Tensions are rising between Una and Inigo, and they will definitely come to its peak at the Hot Springs. Enjoy!**

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Una had divided the Shepherds up into sections and split them up among the different levels of the Hot Spring, leaving Inigo stationed near the top. She had positioned most of the army at the bottom to fight the hordes, but placed anyone who could wield a bow on the highest level. Inigo, a mercenary, had asked to stay behind in order to protect the sword masters while they suited up in their armor. If anything happened to his parents, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Seeing that Panne's husband, Virion, was nearby with weapon in hand, Inigo decided that looking for a momento would be the next best use of his time until the risen arrived. He rolled a discarded chunk of metal in his hand thoughtfully, trying to discern if it was a magical healing stone or a chipped remnant from the swordmasters' weapons in their hurry to relax," Hrm...Nothing," He huffed a frustrated sigh before letting the shard tumble down the mountain wall," There's nothing good."

"Is something wrong, Inigo?"

He blinked in surprise and turned to find Una looking at him expectantly," Oh! Hello, Una. What are you doing up here?"

She took this as an invitation and settled herself on the stone wall next to him," Well, I figured that it was a good idea for me to have a bird's eye view of the entire area if I couldn't mount Winnie. That way, I can quickly make my way down and grab reinforcements if something looks grim," After a few seconds, she propped her chin in her hand," That, and I'm annoyed at Chrom."

Inigo rose his eyebrow in amusement," Why is that?"

"He's the one that dragged us here in order to relax, but when we get attacked, we're "the Shepherds" and "Should protect the patrons of the spring". Not to mention the fact that he almost sunk all of our bullions into buying everyone a Yukata."

"Yukata?"

"Don't ask," Una puffed out her cheeks," So, what are you up to? Other than battle, of course."

"Well, my mind has not wandered far from thinking about your radiance-"

"Inigo."

"Fine," He heaved a dramatic sigh," I was just searching for a memento. You know, a little token or trinket to remind me of the places I've been. Wherever I go, I try to find some souvenir to keep the memory fresh whenever I see it."

The purple haired girl's lips curled into a quaint smile," What a charming idea."

"Credit goes to my mother," He grinned back," It's a habit I picked up from her."

"Lovelier still, then," Inigo felt his stomach flip flop at her approval. Usually he would clam up if someone asked him about something this personal, but with Una, it felt different. After the dancing fiasco a few nights prior, he felt there was nothing he should hide from her. Oddly enough, she seemed happier with him when he was being himself," So what have you found to keep the springs fresh in mind?"

He groaned," Absolutely nothing! At first, I thought to collect some of these red leaves. But unless I keep them pressed in a book or the like, they'd be shredded in days. Then I found a hunk of a sword on the ground and mistook it as a rare gemstone. That would feel silly to carry around," Inigo ran his hand through his hair in frustration," Anything I take will be jostled around in a pack on the road. I'd prefer it were durable."

Una stared at him blankly for what felt like a full minute before coughing and continuing. Although they were tactfully hidden behind her hair, Inigo liked to imagine that her ears were bright pink," Ah, a good point. What about some springwater, then? That can't break."

Inigo choked out a laugh," Is that a joke, Una? You'd have me haul a skin of springwater everywhere I go for the rest of the war? Sloshing away as we march the roads? In combat?! Does that sound like fun to you?"

She held her hands up in defense," It was only a suggestion."

"Yeesh, I'm mortified just imagining it," He felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment,"...Besides, I already thought of that, and I don't have any empty skins-"

"What? Carrying around a skin full of water?" Una mocked theatrically. She placed her hand on her heart, giggling as his face became more exasperated," What a farcical notion! Could you imagine the horror?! What if some poor sap accidentally drank-"

"Alright, I get the point," The brunet gave in and chuckled," What can I say? It's the most obvious thing to pick, isn't it? The only other I came up with was to shave a few shards off these giant rocks."

Una glanced down at the boulder she was sitting on, only to find it still in tact," Oh?"

Inigo caught her gaze and pouted," They're awfully hard."

"Er, yes, well...Boulders are like that," She decided to take a page out of his book and look on the bright side of things," Nonetheless, I'm impressed the thought even crossed your mind to try. I would have given up and stopped by the souvenir shop."

He huffed a dramatic sigh and plopped his head on her shoulder before whining," I'm this close to conceding defeat. Maybe I'll just settle for a little chunk of a Risen or something..."

"What?! Ew!" She gagged," No! Augh! Besides, is that the memory of this place you want to keep? There's got to be _something_ better than that," Una patted his knee," Let's keep looking, yeah?"

"All right...I'll think on it as I fight-"

"Hello young man!" Inigo pulled his head up from the crook of her neck to find Anna's sister approach them," What a dashing young man! You might just be the most handsome patron we've had in weeks!"

Inigo felt that if his eyebrows had risen any higher, they would have popped off his head," W-What?"

She grinned," I just so happened to be on my way to sell some-er, I mean, help the swordmasters when you caught my eye! You with you...quaffed hair and...," She reached forward and squeezed his biceps," I guess you have a nice build!"

Inigo tried to clear his throat, but the longer Anna held on, the more flustered he became," I-"

"Why don't you just leave him alone?" He felt all the heat in his face drain when he heard the warning in Una's voice," He's not interested in buying anything you're selling."

"Why don't you just cool off, lady? It's not like he's your boyfriend or anything," For the first time in his life, Inigo was glad he couldn't see Una's face," Aaaaanyway, why don't we just pop off for a minute?" Without asking any further questions, she carted him off towards an empty dressing room," The staff and I have decided to present you with a _commemorative_ yukata! And after you try it on, we've got another little surprise waiting for you too."

Inigo peaked behind him to see if Una had followed, unconsciously slumping when he realized she had disappeared," Really? Not just the yukata, you say?" He swallowed nervously. Whenever he thought about the prospect of being alone with an eager woman, he pictured himself being in pure bliss. Utter agony was not the feeling he had at all predicted," Something...else too?"

"Absolutely!" She motioned towards a changing room in front of him," Now come on in, and I'll start getting you dressed."

He shifted anxiously and found himself sneaking a look behind him once more,"...Alright, sounds goo-" The mercenary clammed up when Anna started to follow him in," W-Wait, you're coming in here too? While I'm getting dressed?!"

The blue haired woman sent him a cheeky grin," Sure am! But don't you worry: I won't touch you anywhere creepy."

"How bizarre! That's usually my line-Oof!" He didn't have any time to react before getting pushed into the changing room and being stripped of his shirt," Um...excuse me, but-I think I'll just get dressed by myself, so-" He huffed," Could you give me a moment here? You can help with the belt after-"

"Absolutely not! Do you know how difficult it is to wear these properly?" She sniffed defensively," I take pride in my products, and I won't have you looking like a fool out there!"

"I thought you said I was handsome."

"I say a lot of things."

Inigo sweatdropped," Do you treat all of your customers like this? Some might call your treatment a bit...forceful. You know? Perhaps your male customers would prefer a more...demure saleswoman? Urgh!" Without warning, he felt as if all the air had been forcefully sucked from his gut," M-miss! It's too...tight! I-I can't...I can't breathe!"

"Oh? You'll have to forgive me, dear. My hands must have slipped," The brunet nearly fell over when the rush of oxygen filled his lungs once more," There. Does that feel better?"

He wanted to comment about her rude approach, but chose to be grateful in concern for his own safety," Ah, yes...That's...That's much better."

She clapped her hands," Alright, now that you're dressed, we're ready to dye your hair!"

Just like that, any hint of bravado he had disappeared,"...My hair?"

"That's right! While wearing a yukata, your hair should sparkle like a starry sky. Like mine!" She motioned towards her dark, shimmery lockes," I'm actually a natural redhead, you know-just like my sisters. But I dyed my hair with a special dye designed to accentuate my yukata. Come on—you only live once, right? Let's see how it looks!" Fearing what would happen if he refused, Inigo shakily allowed her to squeeze the cool substance onto his head," It comes on a little strong, but I promise it's worth it. Just hold tight for a bit longer, and your hair will change like magic! Here it comes!"

The former brunet sighed drearily and eyed the mirror Anna placed in front of him," Oh, look at that! Wow...I barely look like myself at all!" He ran his hands through his soft lockes and let out a low whistle. It wasn't as nice as his old hair color, but he would take the small victory. Maybe this whole thing wasn't so bad after all.

The merchant nodded proudly," The hair color is great, the yukata looks wonderful on you...Just you wait! Women are going to be throwing themselves at you left and right!"

He felt his self-esteem ascent," D-do you really think so?"

"Oh, I know so. And, if you want, I've got thousands of satisfied customers to prove it!"

Thousands? He tried to picture crowds of adorable women lining up to have tea with him, but Una's face kept popping up to block the rest. Damn...why couldn't he get her out of his head? She had just grown accustomed to spending time with him. He didn't want to scare her off with his true feelings.

He sighed," I see...Thank you. You've renewed my confidence. Perhaps this look isn't all that bad!"

"Glad you like it! It's for sale, you know...," Anna's smile slowly shifted into a smirk," Why not take it back home with you? Tell you what-if you act now, I'll even throw in the magical hair elixir. It'll be great for giving that special someone a taste of an all-new you!"

He choked," S-special someone...?!"

"Oh? Got someone in mind there, don't you, loverboy?" He frantically shook his head, but the blush on his face definitely said otherwise," I'm sure that tactician would love to see you like this, no?"

"What?! I...I..."

"I bet she'd be dazzled by your new look. She might just fall in love on the spot! Play it a little shy, like you are now-then slowly approach, and whisper..."I wore this for you, baby." Ooh, what girl could possibly resist...?!"

"S-stop it, please! You're getting me all worked up!" This had gone too far. He was supposed to be in battle, and while on any other day the company of a lovely lady would be welcomed...Inigo groaned. He needed to pull himself together," Look...I wore it like I said I would. Now I'm changing back to my clothes. And this time, stay out, would you? I can get dressed by myself!"

The mercenary awkwardly pushed her out of the dressing room before she could protest and changed as quickly as humanly possible. He was sure he accidentally folded the yukata wrong, but he really needed some air after that steamy encounter. Once he was fully clothed once more, he sheepishly stepped out of the room. The last thing he expected to see was Anna with a soft smile on her face waiting for him outside," Thanks for indulging me, Inigo. I'm glad you came. And...I'm sorry about the hard sell. The yukata just looked so good on you, it really lit my merchant's spark!"

"Your merchant's spark, huh?" He felt a light chuckle spring from his lips," Well, in spite of the embarrassment, I admit it was kind of fun. I'm grateful for the compliment too. So...thanks for that," Inigo felt his eyes flicker to his reflection in the water and frowned when his hair was still dark blue," By the way, what happened to my hair? It will return to normal eventually, right?"

"Oh, that was just a short-term elixir I use for sample purposes. If you like, I'd be happy to apply another dose?"

"...Ah, no, that's all right. It was a fine look, but I think I prefer my natural color," Inigo ruffled his choppy lockes," It feels good to have the same hair color as my father, you know?"

She shrugged," I can't say I understand completely, but it's your hair. If you change your mind, just let me know. Normally the yukata and the elixir are sold as a set...but for you? Not only will I sell the elixir separately-I'll sell it to you at the wholesale price! In fact, act now and I'll throw in a bunch of free samples too! What a value!" She dramatically motioned at a gift basket that seemed to magically appear in her hands.

Inigo took a frightful step back," Ah, thanks, but no thanks. Yeesh...Once your merchant's spark is lit, what does it take to put it out?"

"That's just one of my secrets."

He turned to leave, but decided one last question couldn't hurt," I'm sorry, you said one of your secrets? You have more?"

She sent him a thumbs up," Don't worry about it, Inigo. Just thank me later."

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Almost two hours had passed before Chrom declared the area free of risen and the springs safe for the Shepherds to step into. Thankfully, nobody seemed to notice Inigo's short encounter with Anna. His parents gave him a funny look when they caught sight of his hair, but purposely avoided commenting on it. Owain and Severa, on the other hand, gave him strangely empathetic frowns as they sported the same color on their heads. Looks like Anna was busier than he thought.

Some of his friends invited him to join them in a hot spring, but he politely turned them down. The idea of stripping down in front of anyone, even if they were his friends, was absolutely embarrassing. Instead, he focused his time on looking for keepsakes once again. The further he trekked down the mountain, the worse he felt about his little memento. It was only when he stumbled across a little coy pond that he found an array of pebbles and stones. He had just finished fishing a lovely purple stone out of the water when his favorite tactician wandered into sight," Una!"

"Hm? Oh, hey, Inig-" A gasp clawed its way out of her throat when her eyes landed on him," What...," Without warning, she pulled him down to her height and began combing her hands through his hair," What happened to your hair?!"

"It's temporary dye," He explained tiredly, subconsciously leaning closer into her touch. Whether she intended it or not, the action was very relaxing after an exhausting night," You were right when you accused that lady of trying to profit off of me."

His heart dropped in his stomach when a growl curled from her lips," That merchant bitch doesn't know what "no" means. It's a wonder that this business has made it this far."

An amused smirk twitched onto his face," That's not very nice."

"Well, she's not very nice."

He couldn't argue with that," You don't need to tell me twice. I should have known a lady wouldn't be interested in me without a catch."

Una stilled for a brief second before releasing his head," Did you find your memento?"

He silently thanked her for the diversion by perking up," I think so! There was a pebble in this coy pond. It has a purplish hue that really evokes the springs and foliage. I think it's perfect!"

"You like purple?"

Inigo prayed that his cheeks didn't heat up and give him away," You can say it's grown on me."

The agitated frown cemented on her face cracked at his answer," Well, I think it's lovely. I'm glad you were able to find something."

"Me too! I'll not forget this trip as long as I have this. I'll treasure it always..."

"Oh...?" Una tilted her head as he grew quiet," I didn't realize these mementos meant quite so much to you, Inigo. I would have looked harder."

He felt himself half-heartedly shrug," They do. Well, not the mementos so much as the memories behind them. I'm still rather shy on fun memories, you see...The future wasn't exactly a happy place," Inigo blocked the unpleasant events from springing back into his mind by trying to smile through it," Even after coming here, the stretch of time before I met up with you all was...difficult. The village I settled in was lovely, but they didn't take too kindly to philanderers," He gently rolled the stone in his hand, finding solace in it's smooth surface," It was rather lonely."

"I never thought of it like that."

He mustered a shrug. If he was going to tell anyone any of this, it might as well be Una," Plus, once peace is won, that's it. Whether we're able to return to a spared future or not, it will still mean good-bye. I'm eager to tuck away all the good memories I can before that happens."

When he turned to face Una, the last expression he expected to see on her face was alarm," What do you mean it's good-bye even if you can't return?"

Inigo laughed pitifully," I've been born in this world. The real me, I mean," He quietly shifted to look over the horizon. Somewhere across the ocean, the Inigo of this world dearly missed his parents. He couldn't imagine stepping in and taking the infant's life away from him," I have no place beside him. It wouldn't be right. That puts a pretty tight limit on the time I have together with you all," The teenager crossed his arms across his chest, hoping that it would provide him some form of comfort," Heh. It's going to get awfully quiet..."

"Inigo..."

Said boy shook himself out of his negative thoughts. In his gloom, he had completely forgotten he had an audience," I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on. I'll be just fine. I've got this stone! It'll see me through any lonely nights, I'm sure," Inigo felt his heart clench at the panicked look in Una's eyes. He hadn't meant to cause her any worry. Heck, that was the last thing he wanted! He scrambled to place on what he hoped was a reassuring grin," Really, I'm just happy I was able to find something!"

She didn't say anything for a full minute, her gaze trained on his feet. She seemed...shaken by his confession. He could only watch uneasily as what he was sure to be thousands of different notions flickered through her brain. Why did he think that telling the army's tactician would be a good idea again? Una was known for overthinking everything. She was probably trying to find a solution to his predicament, and he had to be the one to tell her there wasn't one," Can I see it for a moment? The stone."

"My-Oh, sure," He gently handed her his keepsake," Here you go."

She sent him a grateful smile and fiddled with the stone in her hands for a few seconds. Suddenly, she closed her fist around the memento, spun around, and chucked it off the side of the mountain," Whaaat?! D-did you just...," Inigo's head swiveled from his long gone prized possession to the girl in front of him, anger slowly filling his body," What, is this some new game where you make me go fetch my prized possessions?"

Una only shook her head," That's no prize, Inigo! You don't need it."

He could only stare at her in complete shock," I'm sorry?!"

"You think you can lock away all your happy memories in a rock and stew in solitude? If so, I think you need to think again!"

Inigo bristled at her accusation," Una, that isn't your-"

Una immediately cut him off, unintentionally adding fuel to the fire," If you feel lonely, or if you want to see us, then just do it; come and see us! I don't understand why you think it's okay for you to just up and leave!"

She didn't understand. How could she? The only other people that could even fathom what he was going through were the other future children, and nobody seemed to be stopping them! Why did the universe have to make this hard for him? Why couldn't Una just let him go? Didn't she understand how hard it was for him to watch her fall in love with someone else? They couldn't be together, and her obliviousness towards his true feelings couldn't last forever," _Una_."

" _What?!_ " He flinched at the bite in her words," You think I'd treat you like some kind of inconvenience? Some burden? Is that the sort of person you think I am? That the bond we've grown to share is that flimsy?"

Oh, so now she was turning this back on him? He began pacing to try and clear his mind, but the fact that she wouldn't even allow him to get two feet away from her without answering wasn't doing anything to help," I don't think that! I don't think any of those things! You know I could never feel that way about you!"

Una threw her arms out," Then it's simple, isn't it?! You can come back to us whenever you like. And yes," She interjected before he even had the chance to speak," I mean us; That includes Olivia and Lon'qu. And don't _ever_ talk about making memories "while you still can." You've an amazing future ahead of you, full of all kinds of fun experiences. It's our responsibility to _make_ that future! That's why you came here, Isn't it?"

Inigo spat out a condescending laugh," I shouldn't have expected you to understand! You say that you would be willing to welcome me back now, but can you promise you would feel the same in even a year?! Two years?! Ten years?! You don't have room for me in your life!"

"Your parents would never-"

"I'm not just talking about my parents, Una."

She visibly flinched at his words, going so far as to even take a step away. Inigo wanted so badly to look away from the devastated sheen in her eyes, but doing so would be the equivalent of admitting defeat. It was better that she knew this now...It was better that he knew this now. If he was going to move on, he needed to stop lying to himself.

There was nothing more to be done. Hell, after everything he said? He would be lucky if she even considered making eye contact with him. It was hard enough to get her to spend time with him when she liked him; he couldn't imagine her wanting anything to do with him anymore. Inigo finally yanked his gaze away with a watery huff. Maybe it was better this way. He could finally stop chasing a girl just out of his reach and she wouldn't have to put up with his shenanigans anymore. In the end, he would just be a memory to her. And as much as he wanted to say he was fine with that, a small part of him knew he never would be.

Inigo turned to walk away before he could make matters worse, but a hand grabbed him by the bicep and pulled him back," Una, I-oomph?!"

He expected her to yell at him.

He expected her to slap him.

He never imagined that she would use her free hand to grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pull him down to her level, and desperately crush her lips against his. Inigo's mind immediately went blank, his only instinct to freeze up and let it happen. It was rushed and imperfect, but gods, the only thing he could think was that nothing else felt right in the world.

Just as he began to process what was really going on, Una yanked herself away. Her lips were the same pretty shade of pink as her ears, but the wetness from what he assumed to be tears on her cheeks only confused him more than before. Her red-rimmed eyes flickered from his dumbstruck stare to her hold on him, the wheels in her head slowly starting to turn," Oh...Oh gods!" Una literally pushed him away, covering her mouth in horror," I-I'm so sorry, Inigo! I didn't mean-"

Without warning, she shoved past him and took off down one of the roads, leaving him in her dust. Inigo remained motionless, gaping in complete shock. Had...Had Una just kissed him? And he just let her leave?! Inigo shook himself out of his stupor and frantically sped towards what he hoped to be the direction she was," Una, wait!"

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 **Ooooh boy. I left you at a bit of a cliffhanger, haven't I? Anna definitely messed things up (at least she thought she was helping), and now we have our first fight. Okay, so when reading the Hot Spring Supports, I actually preferred this support convo as opposed to the marriage one. I thought it looked a lot deeper into Inigo's character and worked better since they are not a couple yet. What are your guys' thoughts? Review time!**

 **Lance** **Eterna: Haha, yeah. If I'm right from the top of my head, Morgan should be coming in a few chapters! Soleil unfortunately will not be in this section of the story, but there will be sooooo many hints about her. I'm really excited for this part to come! Thank you for commenting!**

 **Alrighty, so it's hint time! We will pick up right where we left off in the next chapter, and it focus's on the two of them confronting their feelings for each other. I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for reading!**

 **-uprisingdragon**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I'm posting on time this week! Yay! Much like the last chapter, this one will pick up right where we left off. I don't want to keep you guys waiting, so I'll just jump right into it. Enjoy!**

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Una didn't know where she was running, only that she had to get away from Inigo.

Her boots pounded against the stone as she sprinted up the mountain, rushing past several shepherds without even giving them a second glance. If they saw the state she was in, they'd get worried. If they got worried, they'd ask what was wrong. And if they asked what was wrong...

She furiously wiped at her eyes, desperately trying to ignore her exhausted lungs. The steam cloaking the hillside did nothing to help with her fatigue, and her vision was starting to cloud. Still, she had to keep running. She had to-

In her frenzied state, Una didn't process Chrom in her path and proceeded to ram straight into him. The poor prince took the hit dutifully, nearly falling over in an attempt to catch her," Woah, Una! Slow down! What happened? Are there more risen?"

The brown eyed girl kept her eyes trained on the ground and would have bolted if not for his hold on her shoulders," N-No. I just...I just...," She felt herself start to choke up again. Gods, it was bad enough that she kept crying in front of Inigo. Now she had to try and pull herself together for Chrom? This night kept getting worse and worse.

Naga must have been looking out for her, because a smaller pair of arms gently pulled her away and wrapped her in a warm side-hug," Aww, Una's probably just excited about...er...the hot springs! Yeah!" Lissa nudged her, egging her to play along with her lie," Right?"

Chrom furrowed his eyebrows in confusion," Really? I thought she hated this place."

"What? Psh. No," Lissa replied, her voice an octave higher than usual," Una and I are gonna have some girl time! Just the two of us. Without you."

The blue haired man didn't seem to be buying into her diversion," Are you sure? Something seems to be wrong and I don't want Una-"

"Please leave us alone, Chrom," Una finally spoke up, guilt her from the inside. He was only trying to help, but she was going to have a hard enough time explaining the situation to Lissa," It's...girl problems."

"Girl problems?" He grimaced," Nevermind. You two have fun! I'll be in one of the family baths if you need me!"

With Chrom out of the picture, Lissa lead her away to one of the private hot springs on the quiet side of the mountain. She gibbered about something along the lines of Henry trying to take a bath with a horde of risen, but her story only fell upon deaf ears. Una was too far into her own misery to process what was going on until the duo was situated in the water," So...now that we're alone, you have to tell me what's going on."

The tactician submerged herself as far as she could while still having her mouth above the surface to breathe," Can...Can you promise me something?"

"Of course! That's what best friends are for!"

"No, this time I really mean it," Una knew she was digging herself a grave, but she couldn't keep her feelings to herself anymore. Before, she was convinced she could pretend that she wasn't interested. Then the incident happened, and Una wasn't so sure she could keep up the act," You won't like what I'm about to say."

Lissa tilted her head," I know you, Una. I've known you for a long time. You would never do something maliciously just for the heck of it. That's just not the type of person you are! Here," She dutifully wrapped her pinky around her friend's with a confident smile," I pinky promise and cross my heart that no matter what, we will still be friends after this."

Una felt a tiny smile sneak its way onto her face; What did she do to deserve somebody like Lissa? With a speech like that, she couldn't keep her secret any longer,"...I kissed Inigo."

"You kissed-huh, what?!" The blonde's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates," Inigo? As in, our Inigo? From the future? That Inigo?"

She sank lower into the water," Yeah. That Inigo."

Lissa pressed her lips together in contemplation for a few seconds, her sea green eyes oddly sympathetic," Did you lose a bet?"

"What? No!" She squeaked," Believe me, this was not planned! He just started talking about how he thought he had to disappear after the war-I got scared that I would never see him again, and he was looking at me with those big brown eyes...," Una lowered her head in shame," it just happened."

"Huh," The princess leaned her head back against the rim of the spring and observed the stars in the sky. Una was about to follow her lead when Lissa shot up and pointed an accusing finger at her," Hold on, Maribelle told me that you told her you were interested in an older man!"

The purple haired girl shrugged sheepishly," I said that there was an age difference; I never said that it was because he was older," With a sigh, she hugged her knees to her chest," Look, I know it's wrong. You don't have to be the one to tell me that. I didn't mean for this to happen! It's just...when he's not flirting or complaining, he's very sweet. I can't help but melt when I hear his cheesy pick up lines and see his dumb, swoopy hair."

She rose her eyebrow teasingly," Swoopy hair?"

"Shut up. You're supposed to be helping me!" Una groaned,"He always looks after me and makes me feel like I have a purpose outside of being a tactician. I feel like I can tell him anything," She wiped her nose and laughed," Sorry. I just couldn't keep it buried inside any longer."

Lissa softened," Oh, Una...You really care for him, don't you?"

She had known the answer deep down for a long time, but she had never gained the courage to admit it aloud. It looked like there was nowhere else to go at this point but forward," Yeah. I do."

"...Then I don't see what the problem is!"

This time, it was Una's turn to be shocked," W-What?! Have you lost your mind? I am Inigo's godmother! I am seventeen years older than he is! I used to harbor feelings for his father! Can you not see all the red flags?"

She let out a little hum," All of those things apply to the Inigo of this world, not his. In the excitement of meeting future versions of our kids, we all seem to forget that they're not here to spend time with us. Well, that's not necessarily true, but-" Lissa huffed," Look, what I'm trying to say is that these people are not children anymore. The way that I see it is that they're old enough to make their own decisions, and if Inigo wants to be with you, he can!"

Una felt a tiny pang in her heart," You say this assuming that Inigo reciprocates my feelings."

"This is Inigo we're talking about," Lissa deadpanned," He's desperate enough to accept anyone's advances."

The tactician couldn't help but giggle," That may be true, but-that's not the point. The point is that no matter what, my feelings are still inappropriate."

"Says who?"

"Everyone!" Una rubbed her temples," What if it was Owain I was interested in instead of Inigo? How would that make you feel?"

Much to her appaul, Lissa snorted," Relieved. I don't think he has a romantic bone in his body."

"Lissa, I'm being serious."

"Alright, alright," She pursed her lips thoughtfully before smiling," I think I would be surprised at first, but in the end, I'd be happy that my son was with someone he loved. Especially if that someone was as lovely and kind hearted as you."

Una kept her gaze fixated on the water, unsure of how to process this new information. Lissa accepting her was a whole other story than getting shunned from the Shepherds, but surely they wouldn't all abandon her for the perusal of her happiness. Inigo may be from the future, but at this moment in time, he was only a year younger than her. If she really wanted to, she could start something with him...

And for some reason, that terrified her.

Lissa must have noticed her inner turmoil, because she scooted closer and wrapped her friend in a warm hug," It will all be okay, Una."

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"Alright, what maiden did you distress this time?"

Inigo heaved heavy breaths as he pressed his hand into his sore side, making sure to send Owain an annoyed glare," None of your business," Truth was, he had been combing the Hot Springs for almost an hour searching for Una. It didn't sit well with him that she was out there somewhere, most likely distraught because of his stupidity," And for the record, I did not mean to upset her."

"I reckoned so," A sly smirk crawled onto his face," Offending girls just comes naturally to you."

"You're one to-you know what? Nevermind," Inigo straightened up, his exhaustion slowly filling every crevice in his body. He could defend his pride another time; there were more important things on his mind," This may be off topic, but have you seen Una around lately?"

Owain blinked a few times," Uh, I think dad said that she and mom were in one of the private baths," His expression darkened," You're not planning on peeping on them, are you?"

So Una was with Lissa? Inigo felt a rush of relief course through him. Part of him was worried that he'd find her huddled in another bush, alone and scared. The fact that she was being taken care of eased him immensely. With a tired huff, he collapsed on a nearby rock," You give me too little credit, Owain. That would be far too embarrassing," A question burned at the back of his tongue, and although every inch of his brain was screaming at him to bite it back, he asked anyway," Did your father say anything else about her? How was she?"

The white haired boy cocked his head to the side, taking in the mercenary's ragged disposition for the first time that night," What's going on, Inigo?"

"Can you just answer the question?"

The myrmidon crossed his arms, his stare never leaving Inigo's," Dad didn't say anything else, but I overheard Uncle Chrom say something about her being pretty shaken. I figured it had something to do with the risen attack," Owain's frown deepened as he watched Inigo's face become crushed," It wasn't a risen attack, was it?"

He brought his gaze down to his hands, guilt chewing away at his heart. He should have known she would be devastated. He shouldn't have yelled at her the way he did. He crossed the line in so many ways, and-

"Inigo...?" Owain sighed and plopped down next to him," Look; I know we're not the compatriots some heroes strive to be, but you seem to be anguished about this," He took a deep breath before saying through his teeth," Would you like to talk about it?"

The brunet rose his eyebrow suspiciously. He and Owain had fought together on several occasions, but he wouldn't call the white haired boy his friend. He liked to pick fun at Inigo's failures, and in return, he belittled Owain's dramatic nature,"...Why?"

"You're hard to deal with when you're in one of your moods."

Inigo blinked at his light jab. He didn't know what Owain was suggesting by that, but he had a point. Moping around wasn't going to help anybody, himself in particular," I guess you are right."

Owain almost seemed taken aback that he had given in so easily," You must really be taking whatever happened hard."

He nodded, his eyes following his toe as it drew a small circle in the gravel," This is going to seem off topic, but I promise I'm going somewhere," Inigo inhaled deeply, hoping that it would calm his bubbling nerves," Do you think it's wrong for us to fall in love?"

The myrmidon watched the brunet for a few seconds, reading him to see whether or not he was serious. Inigo guessed he passed the test, because he pulled his gaze up towards the moon," I can't say that I'm the right person to be asking this. Romance is but a distraction for a legend in the making such as myself! However, it's good to see my parents so enamoured with each other. If anyone had the chance to be as happy as they are, I would say to go for-" Without warning, the words died in his mouth," You're in love with Una, aren't you?"

Inigo's eyes nearly popped out of his head," How did you-?"

"I put together the pieces," A knowing smirk settled itself onto his lips," Hey, didn't you have a crush on her when we were younger?"

"I don't recall that at all," He lied weakly. Sure, he was taken with her when he was only a few years old, but he wouldn't call that a crush. He just liked the way she smiled and how she always made time for him...," Okay, maybe I did."

Owain sent him a pointed look," If you like Una, then why do you constantly flirt with other girls? Maybe if you gave her all your attention, she wouldn't brush you off all the time."

"I wouldn't say that," When he caught his confused look, Inigo elaborated," She kissed me."

The white haired boy sent him an oddly sympathetic look," Did she lose a bet?"

"No! Of course she didn't-" He felt his mouth go dry. Did she lose a bet? That would make a lot of sense," Well, I don't think she lost a bet."

"That would explain why she was crying. Kissing you would be a traumatising experience for anyone."

It felt as if someone had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart," You never told me she was crying."

Owain shrank slightly at the heartbroken tone in his voice," Sorry. I didn't know you were serious. It's not like you to care this much about a single girl."

"Una's not just any girl," He dropped his head in his hands with a shaky whimper," I was just so...so scared that she would grow tired of me one day and pick someone else. How would I live with myself if I saw her smile for another man? I couldn't bear the thought of it, so I chased her away," Inigo choked," I'm such an idiot."

He nearly flinched when he felt a supportive hand pat his back," We all know you're an idiot, Una most of all. But that doesn't mean it isn't too late."

Inigo pulled his head up, wiping at his eyes to keep some shred of his masculinity," Too late for what?"

"I bet if you told Una everything you told me, she would give you a chance," Owain explained reassuringly," You don't want her to be with another man? Tell her. You'll regret it if you don't."

"But she's our godmother," He babbled," You said so yourself! What makes you think it's a good idea for me to pursue her now?"

Owain shrugged nonchalantly," It's a little weird, but you never viewed her as your godmother anyway. Why are you making excuses?"

As much as he hated to admit it, Owain had a good point. He could mope all he wanted, but that didn't change the fact that he had to do something about his feelings. Telling Una the truth would probably be one of the hardest things he'd ever do, but by naga, he was willing to give it a go," I guess I'm just nervous."

The white haired boy gave him a hearty pat before getting to his feet," Well, I'm not going to force you to do anything. All that I'll say is that nothing is going to happen if you don't go for it," Owain gave him a parting wave," Best of luck, Inigo of indigo skies."

* * *

 **Okay, so this chapter was really fun for me to write because it got to feature Owain and Lissa! At this point in time, Owain isn't really close friends with either Inigo or Una. However, they're going to be good buddies by the end! I also really love the friendship between Una and Lissa. I am tempted to write a little one-shot surrounding the events of Emmeryn's death (because things become a lot more complicated when Una is a dark flier), but we'll see what I feel. Tell me if you guys are interested in this at all! This is the end of the Hot Spring trilogy, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the story! Something very important is going to happen in the next chapter, so make sure to stay tuned! As always, thank you guys for reading and reviewing!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone!**

 **So I bet a few of you are wondering what this story is at this point because it has been roughly a year since I posted anything in it. Let me just say; working in theatre is hard. The hours I devoted to summerstock meant that I could not devote anything to continuing this story, which was a huge bummer for me! I hate leaving things unfinished. However, I have this summer off! Something I really wanted to do was get back into writing, so here it is! I would like to at least finish the Awakening portion of this story (because I plotted out pretty much everything in my head last year, so I know what I would like to happen) so that you guys can read it!**

 **If you are a returning reader and need a recap, here it is! : Inigo and Una (the female avatar) had gotten in a huge fight about whether Inigo had a place among the Shepherds or not that ended with Una kissing him. The shock of the act left Una running off and Inigo chasing after her. Una talked it over with Lissa (and Inigo with Owain), and both said the same thing: Follow your heart. Will they take their friends' advice, or allow fate to tear them apart? Here is Chapter 10!**

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"Uh, are you sure you're okay?"

"We'll be fine. We're just a little tired."

Tired was the understatement of the century. Una had hardly gotten any sleep the night before, and Lissa bit the bullet and stayed up with her. The two talked for a long time, ranging from her insecurities concerning romance to Lissa's relationship with Henry. Although the headache pounding in her skull disagreed, Una had a wonderful time with Lissa. The two hadn't really had a chance to talk since the Valmese War began, and it was nice to focus on something as frivolous as boys for a night.

Chrom rose his eyebrow at the exhausted ladies," Girl problems?"

"Girl problems," They replied in unison.

The older brother chuckled," I see. I guess stopping by the hot spring had the opposite effect that I was hoping for."

Una felt her lips quirk up," And who told you that it was a bad idea?"

A teasing grin snuck onto his own face," I never said that I regretted our choice. Sumia, the girls, and I had a lovely time in one of the family baths last night. I feel better than I have in ages," Chrom couldn't keep himself from laughing at the glares the two girls sent him," Just make sure you are in top shape by noon. We're set to march towards the capital."

Una narrowed her eyes," I know. I'm the one that came up with the plan."

"Don't take out your moodiness on me," He snickered, his eyes moving onto another poor sap he could push her aggression onto," Take it out on Inigo."

It was as if someone had just told her Gangrel had come back from the dead and offered the entire treasury to Ylisse's army; Lissa and Una sat straight up in an instant, with the former immediately preening the purple haired girl," This is your chance!" Lissa whispered excitedly before shoving her off the edge of the bench," Go get 'em, champ!"

Una stumbled forward, vision spinning as she tried to regain her bearings. In hindsight, finishing the entire bottle of rum to gain liquid courage was probably a bad idea. How did she think that it would carry on into the next morning? Hell, why did she think alcohol would fix anything in the first-

"Una."

She stilled at the soft tone in his voice and slowly brought her gaze up to meet his. Her heart stopped at the sight of dark bags under tugging under his eyes and hair that was even messier than usual," Inigo. Are you okay?"

He chuckled tiredly," You always look beautiful to me, but I could ask you the same thing," She giggled at the mental image of her bloodshot eyes and ruffled bangs, unknowingly causing his face to drop," Well, this puts me on the spot. What should we do now?"

The tactician rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly," Do you want to take this conversation somewhere else?" He didn't even give an answer before taking her by the hand and pulling her from the dining tent. Una squinted at the brightness of the sun, stumbling blindly next to the boy as they wandered away from camp. In her hazy mind, all she could think was that walking hand and hand with Inigo would be nice under different circumstances.

Eventually they reached a small clearing in the trees, and Una tried her best to suppress a frown when he released his grasp," So...about last night..."

All the self assurance she had garnered disappeared in a snap, leaving her just as vulnerable and afraid as before. What was she thinking?! Inigo wouldn't want to be tied down! Una swallowed a wave of bile," O-Oh. I...uh...where do I even start?"

The brunet inhaled sharply, striking her with the image of a villager in the path of a stampede of risen," I was hoping you would tell me. You are the tactician after all! Don't you have a plan for everything?"

"Being a tactician has nothing to do with roman-I mean, what happened between us."

His features softened," What did happen between us? Did...," She felt her heart seize," Did you lose a bet?"

"A-No! Why is that everyone's first reaction?"

" _Everyone_?"

Una waved her hands frantically," No, no, no! Not everyone! Just Lissa! I only told Lissa!" His panicked expression did nothing to calm her nerves," Please don't worry! No one has to know if you don't want them to."

Una held her breath as his face shifted into something unreadable,"...I don't know what I want anymore."

She could practically feel the noose tying itself around her neck, tightening closer and closer until she could almost feel it's weight on her skin. Was she really ready to tell him? She didn't know if she could handle rejection again. Not like this. What if he didn't return her feelings? What if he hated her for it?!

"Una, please," She squeezed her eyes, hoping to shield herself from the vulnerability in his voice," It hurts, is all. It hurts so much, I feel my chest will burst."

Her eyes popped open in alarm," It hurt you?! I'm so sorry! I didn't know! Maybe it's a side effect of magic that I didn't know about-"

"No, not like that! I was referring to the pain my heart is in," A ghost of a smile flickered on his lips," It was a metaphor."

She nodded anxiously," Of course. How silly of me to take it so..." Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She needed more time. Her plan before had been so solid, and now? She wasn't so sure anymore," Maybe the best remedy is for me to leave you alone."

Una turned and started walking away just in time for his head to shoot up in alarm," W-What?! No!" She heard his footsteps charge behind her, but she could not muster the resolve to face him," Una, wait-"

Without warning, the pair were shot into the air and shoved into each other. Una landed onto something soft, bouncing slightly as gravity pulled her back down. She would have been relieved if not for the fact that when she opened her eyes, her face was in Inigo's chest and the duo were stuck in a net," Wh-Wha-" She groaned," You have got to be kidding me."

The mercenary's cheeks shifted into a color brighter than Sully's hair as he scrambled to give her personal space," Ah! I'm sorry-er...," Inigo fumbled into a sitting position as he watched the girl climb to the top of the net and fiddle with the ropes," What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get us out," She replied casually," Can you hand me your dagger?"

"I didn't bring my dagger."

"You-" Una pursed her lips," Why didn't you bring your dagger?"

He pouted," Why didn't you bring anything to cut us down?"

She bristled," I apologize for not seeing into the future and bringing a knife."

"Is that not your job?"

"Look, I may or may not be a tad bit hungover at the moment, so please calm down."

Una felt herself relax at the beat of silence that followed her statement. With that argument out of the way, she refocused her attention on the knot. It was barely in her reach, and whoever tied it must have been a pro. She was hoping that this was the work of an enthusiastic hunter as opposed to a troop of brigands. However, the light traces of mold lining it gave away that whatever created it most likely forgot he set it and moved on. At least, that was what she hoped-

"Hold on," She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up at Inigo's snicker," Did you just admit you were hungover?"

Her hand paused,"...Maybe."

Suddenly, a miracle occured: Inigo laughed. It started off quiet, but grew deeper and louder until even she couldn't stay mad," I did not know you had it in you! I can hardly imagine my Una with a bottle of stolen alcohol in her hand! What type of drunk are-"

" _Your_ Una?"

Inigo cut himself off and chuckled nervously, blushing while doing so," My apologies. Slip of tongue."

Una's head flickered between the boy at the bottom of the net to the knot at the top. It was tied very well...they probably would have to wait until someone came to help...meaning that there was nothing else to do but wait...

"Hold on," Sucking in a deep breath, she shyly lowered herself back down. The tight squeeze did nothing to help with the pair's bashfulness, practically forcing Una to be seated on Inigo's lap. Not that she minded, of course. If anything, it felt...

It felt like a perfect fit.

The tactician brought her gaze onto her twisted hands, practically positive that her own ears were pink," It may be a while until anybody finds us...You don't mind this, do you?"

"Mind? Of course not! It is an honor for a lovely lady such as yourself to trust humble ole' Inigo with such an...," The brunet cleared his throat,"...er, intimate position. Besides, I am sure that help will be here in no time!"

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An hour had passed with no sight of any Shepherds.

To be frank, Una was a little offended that it was taking this long to find her. She was the army's tactician after all, and it was a bit irritating that her disappearance was not the first thing on their minds. She swore that if Lissa was purposely telling people to give them time, she would kill her.

...Not that this was necessarily a bad thing. The more time rolled on, the more comfortable the two became with each other once more. There was an unspoken rule not to talk about their big fight the night before, so small stories popped up instead to pass the time. She learned that Inigo's favorite color was blue but that he was growing a soft spot for purple, his favorite form of dance was modern, and was jealous the Gerome could get female attention without trying. Una opened up herself, revealing that Minerva secretly terrified her, her favorite food was anything having to do with bread, and that she was envious a future kid of her own didn't pop up.

Their position became much more relaxed as well; instead of sitting straight up, Una had shifted into leaning against his chest. Inigo didn't seem to mind and had wrapped one arm loosely around her waist. His free hand situated itself on one of her thighs and was absentmindedly rubbing circles against her skin. The intimacy of the position was never brought up, but silently accepted between the two.

The morning sun was just starting to shift the sky into a bright shade of blue when Inigo spoke up again," Are we ever going to talk about the kiss?"

"The-" She felt like she should get worked up, but she was too exhausted to care anymore," I am sorry. I acted rashly without thinking of how it would affect you."

She felt him sigh into her hair," You haven't done a single thing wrong, Una. Reuniting with you has been amazing. A revelation, even. My heart can't help but dance when you are by my side. But it also cries in pain at the same time," Una gently laid one of her hands on top of his, praying that he couldn't hear her heart shrivel from his spot," But I realized something last night; You were right, obviously."

"I was?" Una straightened up," I mean, of course I was!"

The brunet bumped her playfully," No need to act so humble. Anyways, I shouldn't be thinking about bottling up my happiness to drown out my sorrows later. I should be making memories as a record of how we built a future where we can be happy!"

Her breath caught," We?"

Inigo lightly squeezed her thigh," I don't know if you're aware of it or not, but I always had a crush on you. Ever since I was young, I've been searching for a smile that could match the radiance that yours held. I never imagined that after years of searching, I would be lead right back to where I started," he explained," I've felt like this for a long time. I just haven't had the courage to tell you. A man like me-a foolish, frivolous man-needs someone like you...Someone to show me the right path. To keep me in line," His face burned increasingly warmer," Una, you're the only person who has ever given me a chance. Is it selfish for me to ask the same of you for this?"

By this point, Una had pulled herself up and was staring at him with wide eyes. He...reciprocated her feelings? Her mouth formed a tiny "o" in surprise," Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"You are my godmother," He laughed awkwardly," It is not exactly appropriate."

She felt herself grow quiet for a few seconds as she tried to discern whether this was a dream or not," Huh. Well, I cannot say that I have always harbored a crush on you for reasons I need not explain, but...," Una took a deep breath and reached to take his hand in hers," I was lost before I met you. Hell, I still feel like I do not have a place in this world from time to time. But the moment our eyes met, I knew something was different."

Inigo bit his lip," Different?"

"Good different," She assured," It's a little embarrassing to say, but you made me feel like I did not have to be lonely anymore. You noticed things other people chose to ignore, and you sacrificed so much for me," Una sheepishly brushed her hair behind her ear," Sorry, I am not very good with romance. I like to pretend I am."

"R-Romance?" Una tried not to giggle at the giddy grin on his face," You mean you actually return my feelings?!"

For the first time in her life, she threw caution to the wind," Yes. A-And, I was hoping if you would have me-"

She was cut off by a pair of arms wrapping tightly around her into the warmest hug she had ever received," You've made me the happiest man in the world! Thank you, Una. Even if our paths should part someday, I'll be able to live with a smile, knowing I was able to share in all this with all of you."

"The feeling is mutual," Una flicked his nose playfully," But no more talk of this parting business, okay? I don't want you sneaking out on me."

She felt her ears turn pink when he pecked her cheek," I wouldn't dream of it."

"G-Good," The purple haired girl leaned back against his chest. She had to bite her lip to keep her excitement in check when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer," Heh. Everyone is going to have a field day when they see us."

Una didn't have to see his face to know it heated up," Ah...They will not take this well."

"Maybe we should wait to tell them? You know; ease them into it?"

"Into what?" The two yanked each other apart from the other at the sound of Lissa's approaching footsteps," Everyone has been looking all over for you two! We were supposed to march an hour...," Her voice trailed off when she realized the position they were in," Please tell me you didn't do this on purpose."

Una rolled her eyes," Why would we do this on purpose?"

She unsubtly tilted her head towards Inigo," Well..."

"Just cut us down."

A few minutes and extra shepherds later, the duo were free from the net. Olivia started fussing over Inigo as soon as his feet touched the ground, Lon'qu reprimanded him for not bringing a dagger, and for some reason, Owain gave him a thumbs up. All Una received was a shit-eating grin from Chrom," This was a creative way to get out of packing up. Poor Inigo must have gotten an earful."

Una placed an offended hand over her heart," Hey, I am a professional! I save all of my complaints for the man in charge."

"I'm flattered," His face shifted into a softer one when he squeezed her shoulder," By the way, I'm glad you're okay. I don't think I've seen you smile since Basilio died. It's nice," She shrugged, deciding that it was best not to comment on her silly grin lest she gives something away. He clapped his hands before things could get too emotional and garnered everyone's attention," Alright, Shepherds! Let's get on the road!"

The tactician had to keep herself from snorting when she caught the mopey glare Inigo threw Chrom. She made sure to hold back until everyone had moved on, grabbing Inigo's sleeve to keep him apart," Una? What's up?"

A rush of adrenaline coursed through her," We didn't get to finish what we started."

"Finish what-oomph!" Una promptly cut him off by placing a short, sweet kiss on his lips," U-Una!" Inigo's voice cracked as he shot a frantic look towards the group only a twenty feet away," Someone could have seen us! N-Not that I don't appreciate it, but-"

"Hee hee. All right, maybe that was a little embarrassing. I'm still new to this whole romance thing," She innocently bit her lip," Maybe you can help me figure it out?"

He rolled his eyes, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so that they could catch up with the others," Boy oh boy...You're unbelievable. As usual, I can barely keep up."

* * *

 **Yay, they're a couple now! I'm always really awkward when it comes to confession scenes, but I really like how this one ended up! The two of them are too shy to confess to each other without stakes, so I present to you; stakes. There is a little bit of foreshadowing in here with Lissa's involvement in their relationship, Inigo's parents, and even the mention of the wyvern. You'll have to stick around to see where that will lead!**

 **I'm going to go on a bit of a tangent here, so if you want to get in the mind of the author, look no further! UnaxInigo is my favorite avatar couple, even more than my original Chrobin. I think the two of them have so many layers, and they use these to their advantage with their relationship. Una knows what it's like to be rejected, so she sympathizes more with Inigo than the average woman. Inigo is also prone to have nightmares, so he's better at comforting Una when no one else can. They are both insecure, but they view the other person in the relationship as someone confident and beautiful. On a more surface level, Inigo is the jokester while Una is more serious (cough cough, grumpy). They balance each other out.**

 **I don't think that this is much of a spoiler because it happens in the game, but I cannot wait to introduce Morgan into this dynamic. I have his entire backstory completely fleshed out, and it is going to be something WILD. I am planning on him appearing soon, but there is a short story arc surrounding the beginning of their relationship that we have first. I don't want to say much else on the matter because of spoilers, but Soleil is also their child. She just will not be appearing anytime soon. This is not because I don't love her; I love my gay daughter very much. I just don't want to insert her into awakening when she is in the Fates universe. This doesn't mean that she won't make an appearance; I'm hoping to get to the Fates portion of this story before the summer is out. Let's see if I can hold myself accountable to that!**

 **As always, thank you guys for reading! I'm excited to get this story back off the ground!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again, everyone! I hope you have had a lovely week so far. Are you excited for the newest chapter? Let's do a quick recap so that we're all caught up for what's ahead: Inigo and Una, after keeping their feelings for each other to themselves, have finally confessed (in a hilarious way). However, there is no time for romance with the war against Walhart. They mutually decided to keep it a secret for now, so what could go wrong?**

 **Spoiler for the next three chapters: A lot.**

* * *

With Yen'fay defeated and Tiki rescued, the Shepherds decided it was time to attack Walhart head on. It seemed like the best course of action, and Una was hoping that a direct attack would catch him off guard. After all, the small size of their army would definitely throw him off.

Unfortunately, that meant the Shepherds had to march all the way from the bottom of the continent to the top. And, if that wasn't bad enough, Una had stupidly suggested that marching through the mountains would help hide their position from any Valmese spies. That usually wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't snowing.

Una grumbled to herself as Winnie hovered forward, pointlessly tugging her already too short skirt down a little further. Chrom had finally allowed her to ride her pegasus during marches again, but only with the promise that she would scout ahead from her height. This would have been a blessing if the wind didn't bite at her as soon as she broke the treeline. It was hard to last five minutes up there without a coat, and she was starting to regret packing her tactician cloak away. Her plegian blood hated the snow, and her Dark Rider uniform was not doing her any favors.

"Cold?"

The purpled haired girl sent Inigo a look that she could only describe as pitiful. The lucky bastard had received his father's extra swordmaster coat, and the fur lining his cheeks only brought more attention to her freezing neck," You can say that again."

He sent her a sympathetic smile, but didn't comment any further due to the future kids next to him. It was proving to be harder than they originally thought to keep their budding relationship a secret. It started off almost fun; they treated it like a special game, teasingly giving and taking away points when there were close encounters. The charm of that wore off fast. Lissa and Owain proved to be good at diverting attention away when they were close to getting caught (which happened more times than Una liked to admit), but keeping the act up was starting to become exhausting.

Una shivered as a particularly bitter gust of wind cut through her face. If it was this bad on the ground, she didn't want to imagine what it would be like up in the air. Inigo must have noticed, because he was halfway through shrugging off his coat when she caught on," No. You're not going to freeze because of me!"

"Do not fret, Una," He sighed dramatically," The heat of my passion for you will keep me warm."

"You almost got pneumonia three weeks ago!" She shot back," We are not going to test your good luck."

"Your solution is to risk your own health?" Inigo tutted," Your well-being far outweighs mine. You should take the coat."

"My life does not outweigh yours or anyone else's," Una sent him a pointed look," Now put that coat back on or so help me-"

"How about this?" The two shrank when they realized they had an audience," Inigo, why don't you accompany the fair Una in the sky?" Owain suggested dryly.

Lucina rose her eyebrow naively," I fail to see how that will help keep her warm."

"I'm sure I'll find a way," Inigo flirted, ignoring the gags that came from the kids behind him. Una only rolled her eyes as a response; he was definitely losing points for his brash suggestion.

Cynthia giggled," Aww, poor Una doesn't have to be trapped with him. He'd probably flirt her ear off and make her want to jump off Winnie!"

"I think you misunderstood," Inigo said, his voice dripping with sarcasm," Owain suggested I go up with her, not you. Though I can see how you would make that mistake-"

"-Alright!" The purple haired girl quickly grabbed her beau by the wrist and pulled him on the back of Winnie," Let's get out of here before you lose a fight."

"Lose?!"

As much as she hated to admit it, the immediate warmth that came with Inigo boarding her pegasus was fabulous. She pulled up on Winnie's reigns, waiting until they were above the treeline to snuggle against him," Tell me if it gets too cold up here for you. I was serious when I said I didn't want you catching pneumonia."

He cheerily wrapped his arms around her waist, enveloping her as much as he possibly could. Inigo proved to be bashful whenever she so much as winked at him in public, but when they were alone, he was a big sweetheart," I am not worried. The winters were always colder in Regna Ferox."

"Don't I know it," Una chuckled," I almost got hypothermia the minute I crossed the border. Curse these dumb pegasus knight uniforms."

He wiggled his eyebrows, his eyes unsubtly skimming her bare legs," I'm not complaining."

The only thing that annoyed her more than his comment was the fact that she blushed in reaction to it," Oh really? I'd like to see you waltz around in a short skirt and tell me how it feels."

A satisfactory grin crossed her face when his cheeks burned bright red," U-Una! I couldn't! Everyone would stare! Gods, it would be so embarrassing."

"Now you know how I feel," She grumbled," I adjust much better to the heat in Plegia. At least then I can feel my feet," Una pulled her hands up briefly to blow a huff of warm air onto them," It's too bad everything else there fails to suit my fancy."

Inigo let out a small hum," Do you remember anything from when you lived there? My parents told me about what happened, but...you know. Sometimes memories come back."

Her face fell. It had been a little over two years since she woke up in that field, and she still couldn't recall a single thing. She had brought it up to Libra briefly, but the only thing he could suggest was to try and find certain objects to jog her memory. The only thing that had an effect on her was Gangrel's lackey, Aversa. For some reason, she felt eerily familiar," Sometimes they don't."

"Oh," He tightened his hold around her," I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Una replied chipperly, ready to push past the topic," I have grown accustomed to it. Why did you ask, dear?"

Inigo bashfully rubbed the back of his neck, playing out exactly how she had predicted. She had learned early on that if she ever wanted to change the subject, all she had to do was embarrass her boyfriend. Pet names always did the trick," I want to know more about you, Una. You're a woman shrouded in mystery."

She giggled," Make sure to tell me if you find out anything."

He played right along," Only if you ask nicely."

This time when she prepped to warm her hands, the brunet caught them in his. It was evident that his original plan was to make a romantic gesture by doing so, but his immediate withdrawal and unmanly yelp broke any suaveness he had built up," Una! Your hands are freezing!"

She felt a pout form on her lips as she moodily rubbed her hands together," What were you expecting? The whole reason you're up here with me is because you're supposed to be keeping me warm."

He met her glare for a solid minute before groaning in defeat and recapturing her hands in his," You're going to be the death of me."

Una decided that further teasing him wouldn't improve his mood, so she settled with a chaste kiss on his cheek before tilting her head back under his chin. He stuttered in surprise at first, only relaxing when he realized there was no double-motive.

She opened her mouth to ask him if he knew any good ghost stories when a distant group of shadows hidden in steam caught her eye," Inigo, do you see what I see?"

She felt him straighten behind her," Who in their right mind would trek all the way out here?" Una shot him an unimpressed look," And what I meant to say was that I don't understand how a person would set up camp all the way out here unless they were planning on making a surprise attack because that is the opposite of a bad idea."

He was lucky she found it cute when he fumbled to cover his tracks," Let's give Chrom a heads up and scout ahead."

Una pulled back on Winnie's reigns and guided the pegasus down next to where Buttercup, Sumia's pegasus, and Champion, Cordelia's pegasus, were situated," Inigo and I spotted a group of bandits ahead. Do we plan to pursue or avoid?"

Frederick, who was perched on the back of his wife's pegasus, scowled once he got a better look," I recognize their camp formation. They're slavers, milord. Such damnable scum..."

"We may be able to obtain more numbers if we release their prisoners. Naga knows we need them," Chrom, who was in similar position as Frederick, nodded affirmatively," We'll have to hurry if we hope to catch them."

"Aye aye, captain," The tactician gave a tiny salute with a small smile on her face," Inigo and I will fly ahead and see if I can release any of their captives. Cordelia, you flank left, and Sumia, you go right. Cherche and Gerome can stick closer to the ground and wipe out any archers. We will meet in the middle towards the other end of their camp. Meanwhile, our ground units will spit up, one side as offense and the other as defense for our refugees. Anything I missed?" Her small group shook their heads," Lovely! Now, let's get in and get out before these scum can cause anybody any harm."

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The steam rising off the river was not doing Una any favors up in the air. After much maneuvering, she had managed to find the group's makeshift prison and cracked the locks. She had run into a rather skilled archer that Inigo recognized as Noire and instructed her to lead the ground unit towards the middle to meet the Shepherds. Una would fly ahead and try to knock out as many opponents as possible.

This proved to be easier said than done when the ground units took this to their advantage. She didn't want to get cocky due to the lack of surrounding archers; if anything, it unnerved her. She had taken an arrow to the leg once before when saving Maribelle, and it was an experience she never wanted to happen again.

Inigo grunted as he parried an oncoming spear, leaving an opening wide enough for Una to shoot a thoron at the enemy rider," This is exhausting. We'll have to sneak away for tea after this."

Una rolled her eyes playfully as she shot another bolt at a knight, grimacing when a agonized scream sprung from the man's lips. She could feel Inigo stiffen behind her and chose to pull his attention away from the enemy's brutal death," I don't think that it's the best time. Maybe tonight after this is all over?"

After a few seconds, he managed to pull himself together," You know how to keep a man waiting, love."

"Love?" She turned to face him with a cheeky smile," Do my ears deceive me, or did you just give me a pet-name?"

His cheeks burned bright red," Aha, well...I can stop if you wish."

"No," She softened bashfully," I rather like-"

Everything next seemed to happen in slow motion; An incoming arrow heading straight for Inigo caught her eye from the mist. Without a second thought, she shoved him off the side of her pegasus, watching as his face shifted into one of surprise. A beat of pain struck her shoulder, and immediately his expression flickered into one of horror before disappearing into the mist below them. She could faintly hear a splash beneath, but her relief was short lived when her body rudely reminded her of the arrow embedded in her shoulder. Una didn't have time to fully process the pain that started to radiate from the new wound, because she felt an all too familiar shock of a terrible sting enter her left leg. Somewhere in the back of her head, she heard Winnie yelp and felt her start to kick. She didn't have time to grab the reins her body started to tip off the side and towards the steaming river.

Una was only pulled from her haze when her body lurched to a halt. She blinked wildly, trying to see through the spots clouding her vision and put herself together. The purple haired girl whimpered and shot a desperate look up, only to see that the arrow and pinned her leg to her horse. Oh gods, she would have to pull an arrow out of her own leg.

Sucking in a terrified breath, she used her good arm to close her fist around the wood," Alright...y-you can do this Una. You've had an arrow pulled out before, you can do it again," Una squeezed her eyes shut," O-One...Two...Three."

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 **I wasn't kidding around earlier when I said a lot could go wrong. And boy, let me tell you, this is barely scraping the surface. We know that Una is an incredibly capable fighter as well as tactician, but what will happen when she's out of** **commission? I don't want to spoil too much, I want you to enjoy the roller coaster you are about to embark on. All I will say is that the next chapter picks up right where this one left off, and it's in Inigo's POV.**

 **I want to give a quick shoutout to those of you who started following this story from my post last week! Thank you for your interest! I hope you like it so far. Review time!**

 **Lance** **Eterna:** **Hello! I'm so glad you're back to see where to story goes! I'm really excited to have you along for the ride, and I can't wait to hear your feedback!**

 **I don't have an official post date of the week yet because my daily schedule is in a bit of a flux right now and I need to get back to consistently writing. I'm going to try and keep it so that posts happen about once a week, and I'll aim towards the beginning of it. If you guys have any suggestions, theories, or feedback, I love hearing it! The Fire Emblem Community is one of my favorites because everyone is pretty supportive in it! As always, thank you for reading and I hope you have a lovely week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! I was uploading this chapter onto the Doc Manager today when I realized just how long it was! I think that is because I wrote half of it a year ago, and the other half much more recently. Do you think you'll be able to discern the differences in writing styles? If I'm being honest, I didn't write very much in the past year, so I can't imagine they'd be too unalike. Anyway (after that mini tangent, sorry guys!), where did we leave off? Oh year; with Una getting shot down by some arrows during a battle. I'm really excited about what goes down in this chapter! I'll talk about it more in detail in the afterward because I want you guys to experience for yourselves. Happy reading!**

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Inigo tore out of the water, anxiety filling every crevice of his being. Where was Una?! She had definitely taken an arrow to the shoulder, and although she was incredibly strong, she was alone now. It would be hard to defend herself if she was surrounded," Una?!" He frantically brushed his bangs back as he treaded water," Una!"

His heart stopped when a figure dropped from the sky and hit the water," Oh Gods," He took off swimming, gulping in air before diving underneath to retrieve her. He paid no mind to the nearly boiling temperature of the spring as he gathered up his lady in his arms, quickly popping back up to the surface for air," Una!"

She sputtered water from her lungs and lazily opened her eyes to meet his frenzied gaze," I...Inigo..."

"I'm here! Don't worry, I'm here," He took a brief second from treading water to smooth her hair from her face. Gods, what was he going to do?! He had lost too many people in the future, and he couldn't bear it if he lost Una too. Think, think, think! What would Una do if the tables were turned? Inigo tore his gaze from her to try and spot the beach through the thick fog," We need to get you to a healer."

"B-But the...the prisoners-"

"-Need you alive," Inigo tried hard to ignore the cloud of blood floating up from below the surface. He needed to keep a cool head if they were going to make it out of this in one piece," Just hold on, okay?"

He took her strained cough as a yes and paddled towards the nearest shore, making sure to cradle her in his arms when his feet touched the ground. The mercenary anxiously searched for a hiding spot and settled for a small crook underneath one of the bridges. It wouldn't be long before someone found them, and he prayed to Naga that whoever it was would be on their side.

Inigo gently leaned her body against the wall and observed her shoulder wound. It was bleeding, but there was no way that alone could have produced the blood in the water. The arrow was still in her body, and while he was sure it hurt like hell, it should have been acting as a plug. Una seemed to read his confusion, because she shakily pointed to her leg," I-I had-I had to pull-" She clenched her teeth, failing to hide the pained whine that snuck it's way from her lips," I-I-"

"Oh g-gods," He had never had to deal with something like this before. Lucina was always there to take charge if something got this bad in the future. His father was right. He should have focused on training instead of frivolously-

Suddenly, everything clicked for him. He was terrified, yes, but he visibly flinched when he caught the frightened sheen in her eyes. Una was scared, and he swore a long time ago to protect her. What kind of a lover would he be if he abandoned her in her time of need? Inigo fumbled for his sword, cutting off a large chunk of his father's coat to wrap around the opening in her leg," Alright, here's the plan; we need to-" He frantically cupped her cheek in a frail attempt to keep her eyes from glazing over," Hey hey hey, stay with me. You're going to make it out of this."

The purple haired girl opened her mouth to apologize, but a scream ripped itself from her lips before she had the chance," INIGO!"

He barely had time to react, swiping his sword to protect the two of them as an axe came down onto them. He grunted, pushing himself up onto his feet to face the brigand. It took every essence of his being not to shrink when he was met with not one, but an entire group approaching," Hello, gentlemen. Just passing through?" He was answered by the axe swinging into him once more. Inigo side stepped it quickly and stabbed the man with his sword in his chest," Guess not."

The brunet took a defensive position in front of his lady, making his top priority keeping Una from harm. He wasn't sure if she had enough energy to stay conscious, so the possibility of protecting herself was nonexistent. A pair of pegasus riders swooped in next, aiming their lances straight at him. He managed to duck out of the way of one, but the other grazed his back. He bit back a yelp, instead training his focus on picking up the brigand's discarded axe and throwing it at the aerial unit.

The death of the pegasus rider's companion did nothing but infuriate his opponent. The woman evoked a spine-chilling screech before jabbing at him with lightning speed. Inigo could barely keep up blocking her attacks, gaining several small cuts on his chest in the process. Inigo clenched his teeth as he was backed closer and closer to Una, and in a desperate attempt to back the woman off, he swung his sword as hard as he could. While it missed the woman, it spooked her pegasus enough to have it kick up. The brigand roughly fell onto the ground, giving Inigo the upper hand to kick her spear out of her reach.

Inigo took this opportunity to catch his breath and pointed his sword right above her neck. He would have slayed her then and there, but the smug look on her face deeply disturbed him," Kill me if you must, but who will save your friend?"

Una.

A wave of panic washed through him as he frantically turned to find her in the grasp of danger. Instead, however, all he discovered was that she was unconscious. How did that-

His confusion was cut off when an arrow soared into his hand, prompting a cry to tear itself from his throat. Inigo could only drop his weapon as he brought his hand close to his chest, mentally wrestling with the thought of taking it out himself or trying to fight with his left hand.

He didn't get the opportunity to make the decision, because his legs were kicked out from underneath him. Inigo scrambled to regain his bearings, only to find a spear pointed at his nose," Heh. You're even dumber than I thought."

Inigo's eyes flickered from the weapon to the approaching archer behind it. Two against one. He had to make the right decision if he was going to make it out of this alive-

His blood ran cold when the woman shoved him aside and grabbed Una, yanking her up by her injured arm. The tactician awoke with a choked sob, her eyes bleary and muddled. She weakly tried to fight her way out of the brigand's grip, but her face wracked with pain every time she moved," I am going to make you feel what I felt when you killed Arina," She declared, the head of her spear digging into the side of Una's neck.

Inigo shook his head furiously and moved to rescue her, but the sound of a bow preparing to release scared him into stillness. The agony radiating off of his hand was still too fresh in his mind. Gods, what was he supposed to do?! Was it going to be his well-being or Una's?

His heart suddenly made its decision as soon as he spotted a light stream of blood drip from Una's neck: He dove forward, surprising the enemy enough for her to loosen her grip on Una. Inigo immediately took this advantage and pulled her away, hugging her tiny body against his and preparing to take the hit.

The last thing he expected to hear was the sound of an arrow deflecting off something metal," I'll make this quick," Inigo inhaled sharply at the sound of his father's voice, followed shortly by his opponent's horrified yell. He remained frozen with his head buried in Una's hair, even when his ears were greeted with a thump of a body hitting the ground, followed quickly by another.

He flinched when a small, light hand touched his shoulder," Inigo! Are you alright? You're drenched and-Oh my goodness, your hand!" Inigo brought his watery gaze up to meet his mother's worried stare," Lon'qu, do you have your elixr?"

His heart was still pounding a mile a minute," H-How-?"

"We heard Una scream your name," Olivia explained as Lon'qu dug through his pockets to find the container," We almost lost you, but w-we heard your voice and came straight here. If only we had gotten here sooner-" Her husband placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and handed her the elixr," Oh, thank you Lon'qu. Here, take this."

Inigo finally snapped out of his stupor," Una needs it more than I do," He swallowed, his gaze falling back onto the girl in his arms. She seemed to be fighting to stay conscious, and the sweat coating her already drenched forehead did nothing to calm him down," I-I'll be fine as soon as we get her to a healer."

Olivia visibly paled when her eyes fell on Una and handed off the elixr without another word. Inigo sent her a grateful look as he situated his lady into a sitting position against him," Hey Una, hold on f-for just a few more minutes. I-I have this elixr, and I really need you to take it," Despite the exhaustion overtaking her body, she managed a tiny nod. He popped the lid off and tipped its contents into her mouth, wincing as she coughed and pulled away," Una, you have to finish it. It will numb the pain," The purple haired girl emitted a small whine, but allowed him to pour the rest it through her lips. She immediately dropped her head against his shoulder and exhaled a baby huff," Good girl," He pressed a chaste kiss against her temple before turning back to his parents," Where is the nearest healer?"

The two swordsmasters shared uneasy looks," The rendezvous point. But Inigo-"

He didn't wait to hear their worries, opting instead to get onto his feet and take off towards the head of camp. The brunet ignored the ache of his own wounds and focused all of his adrenaline into sprinting back to the healers' tent. He wasn't sure how much time she had left, and he didn't even want to fathom the possibility that the last time he would ever see her smile was before getting shot down.

He nearly collapsed in relief when Libra and Maribelle came into his sight," He-Help! We need help! She's been hit!" The two blondes rushed forward and took Una from his arms, hardly giving him a second glance before carrying her away from him. Somewhere in the back of his head, he felt that someone was speaking to him. But with Una gone left his adrenaline, and the last thing he remembered was seeing Brady's concerned face before collapsing into the snow.

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When Inigo woke up, his hand was bandaged and his cuts were treated. He managed to duck out of the medical tent before his parents could find him and give them the standard "You should be more careful" speech that he had heard hundreds of times, instead making a beeline for Una's tent. Owain managed to catch him before he made it very far and coax him into changing into warmer, dryer clothes. It took a lot of convincing, but about twenty minutes later his wet outfit was discarded in place of a dry one and he was back on a mission.

It wasn't hard to figure out which tent Una was in; it had quite the crowd surrounding it. Chrom and Frederick were stationed outside, most likely talking about the previous battle. Sumia was not far, speaking in hushed tones with Lucina and Cordelia. He overheard the words," I don't know if she'll make it," and decided that sticking around this glum group wasn't going to do him any good.

He was about to push himself through the flap of the tent when a firm hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back," What do you think you're doing?"

Inigo only gave a fraction of his focus to Chrom, his eyes still on the opening," Oh, don't mind me. I just wanted to pop in to see Una."

"Really?" He furrowed his eyebrow at the exasperated tone in the prince's voice," Now is not the time to bother her with your frivolity."

"My-?" The mercenary tried to push himself through, only to get forcibly pushed back. Despite trying to keep a cool head, desperation was setting in fast," I swear, there will be no frivolity! I just need to know that she's okay."

Chrom pinched the bridge of his nose," We're all worried, Inigo, but you'll just get in the way. Besides, only family members and significant others are allowed in. Last time I checked, you were neither of those things."

"But I-" The weight to Chrom's words hit him like a punch to the gut. Nobody knew that he was courting Una. They didn't know about the countless nights they spent talking together and their secret point game. To them, he was just a silly boy trying to sneak his way into a stranger's tent," N-No, you don't understand. I have to see her! I have to know she's okay!"

The prince blinked in surprise at his frenzied state," Why don't you run off and get some rest? Maybe eat some food? She might be up by the time you come back."

 _Might_. Inigo swallowed a roll of bile from his stomach and shook his head," I cannot just leave her."

Sumia, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, jokingly suggested," You could just sit outside and wait for-" Her voice fell flat when Inigo plopped down on a nearby tree stump, his gaze zeroed in on the medical tent,"...oh. Maybe you shouldn't..."

Chrom seemed to be reaching the edge of his patience, so Lucina quickly stepped in," Why don't you join us for dinner? There's nothing we can do but wait at this point."

"I am fine out here," He rubbed his eyes tiredly, trying extremely hard to keep his composure," Go without me."

"Inigo, you're being ridiculous-"

"What if she wakes up?" He babbled," She's probably scared and hurt, a-and if I'm not here-"

"-It won't make any difference to her," Chrom shot back, ignoring the fact that Inigo flinched at his words," I do not mean to offend you, but take a minute to really mull this over. You may be friends, but you have only known each other for a little over a month. Do you really think you are the first face she wants to see when she wakes up?"

Inigo felt his mouth go dry," I...I have to stay."

"Fine, but don't come to me when you catch a cold," Chrom made sure to grab the hilt of his sword as he passed," And if you so much as breathe in that tent, I will strike you down with Falchion."

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Not even ten minutes had passed before Inigo felt a thick blanket drop onto his shoulders and a bowl of soup placed in his lap," There you are! We were worried when we didn't find you in the medical tent."

The brunet rose his eyebrow when he turned to find his mother by his side," We?"

Olivia nodded towards Lon'qu, who had situated himself so that he was sitting on the other side of his son," Chrom told us to retrieve you, but your father put him in his place pretty quickly," She giggled," I think he just misunderstands the situation."

"The...situation?" Inigo was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his parents weren't angry, let alone that his father had stood up for him to his liege," What situation?"

Olivia and Lon'qu shared a look before she sent him a sheepish smile," We've had our suspicions about you and Una for a while now."

He felt as if someone had wrapped their hands around his throat and choked him," O-Oh. I...uh-well, we...uh-it's...uh...," Who was he kidding? He didn't do a very good job of keeping his feelings a secret, especially once her life was on the line," I am sorry."

"Don't apologize," Inigo nearly leapt out of his skin when his father spoke up.

"Right! There is no need to feel bad about being in love with Una," Olivia squeezed his knee reassuringly," She is a lovely girl, and you two care deeply for each other. We're glad you have someone to make you happy."

This was almost too much. The stark contrast from being threatened to stay away from Chrom and encouraged to pursue his feelings from his parents did nothing but clash with each other in his head," You're not angry with us?"

The couple shared a confused look," Why would we be angry?"

"Well, we did keep it a secret from you."

"You weren't very good at hiding it," Lon'qu chuckled.

Inigo's jaw dropped open," What?! Personally, I thought that I was doing great-up until today!" His ego sunk when his parents laughed even harder," Fine. I'll take what I can get," It felt as if a large weight was lifted off his shoulders with his parents support. He had been so worried that they would disown him, but here they were, risking their lives and reputations to stand behind him," I never thanked you for earlier."

Olivia's smile softened," There's no need. We're just glad you're okay," She gave him one last pat before getting to her feet," Unfortunately, I cannot stay. Panne is helping me train today...I can ask her to reschedule if you want?"

Lon'qu spoke up," I'll stay with him."

"You will?" The pink haired girl beamed," Lovely! I'll come back as soon as I'm done! Will you come get me if Una wakes up, dear?" Her husband nodded," Thank you! I'll see you soon, then."

Inigo felt dread fill his stomach in the absence of his mother. In all honesty, he hadn't really had any one-on-one time with his father since the incident at the Mila Tree. There was the family dinner here and there, but Olivia was always there to dissolve the obvious tension between father and son. Knowing his dad, there'd probably be another lecture on how reckless he had been and how all of this could have been preventable-

"I'm sorry."

If someone had reached into his chest and grabbed his heart, he was sure the shock caused by his father's words would have still caused a bigger reaction. If it had been anyone else, Inigo was sure he would have just brushed it off. He never was the type of person to let people see his emotions. But this was his father. The very person that saved his life earlier was the one apologizing? Why?

All Inigo could muster was to blink back at him.

Lon'qu stared straight ahead with a much more composed expression as he explained himself," It was insensitive. I assumed you only cared of frivolous things, like chasing girls and sipping tea," His son watched as the man's gaze shifted towards the medical tent," It reminded me of Una when she was your age."

Inigo knew Una liked Lon'qu when they first met; it was one of the first things she confessed to him when they began courting. She had hinted at it earlier, of course, but she wanted to emphasize that she like Inigo for Inigo, not because he was the son of a former flame.

But this…this was an interesting development. Was he referring to her crush on him, or was he hinting that Una chased girls when she was younger? This was all very confusing," H-Huh?"

"She pelted me with figs to express her romantic interest instead of focusing on the war at hand," Inigo didn't know whether to jump to his lady's honor or laugh at what had to be the truth," After the former Exalt died, she proved herself to me. She lead us to safety that day when no one else could."

The younger brunet felt his mouth form a thin line. Even though he hadn't been there, he could picture Una keeping it together to get everyone to the carriages. Gods, she must have been a mess and no one was there for her…Just like now. He sent a exhausted look towards the tent and sighed," Where are you going with this?"

"She proved herself back then, and your proved yourself today," Lon'qu finally turned his gaze to meet his son's," You've been fighting with all you've got, and I have failed to realize it. I had no right to criticize you."

For one of the first times in his life, Inigo was at a loss for words. His father—the same person that called him a disappointment a month ago—was apologizing. Did this mean what he thought it meant? Gods, this day was turning out to be too much for him. It had started off so simply, but then Una got critically injured, Chrom threated him, and now his father was trying to mend their relationship. Suddenly, the winter air wasn't so cold anymore.

" _Then it's simple, isn't it? You can come back to us whenever you like. And yes, I mean us; That includes Olivia and Lon'qu. And don't_ _ever_ _talk about making memories "while you still can." You've an amazing future ahead of you, full of all kinds of fun experiences. It's our responsibility to_ _make_ _that future! That's why you came here, Isn't it?"_

Inigo felt a tear streak down his cheek, quickly swiping at it and hiding behind his smile," Pfft, you w-were still thinking about that? Ancient history," He brought his attention towards the footprints he left behind in the snow," Plus…it was my fault too. If I'm going to protect the ones I love, I need to take things more seriously. I mean, look at you! You're super serious all the time, and neither mother or I have ever been harmed in your presence!" Lon'qu rose his eyebrow quizzically," Though I will say, you always seem so gloomy. I didn't come all this way to see you mope around, you know?"

This time, his father was the one that seemed lost,"…That is why you came back? To make me happy?"

Inigo felt his face heat up in embarrassment," Well…yeah. You, mother, Una, and everybody. The whole world, I guess," His fiddled with his earring distractedly," I guess I'm okay telling you that now. Not like there's much lower I can get, huh?"

He felt a supportive hand clap on his shoulder," Venting your feelings is not a sign of weakness, so do not portray yourself in that way. You can tell me anything if it suits you to do so."

Inigo felt a tug on his heartstring but stubbornly pushed it away. No, this was all wrong. Who was this man and where did he hide his father? He shrugged the hand off," You say that now, but you'll complain once I get going. I may be all smiles on the outside, but I'm actually pretty sensitive. And Pessimistic…Oh, and I cry at the drop of a hat. Whenever a girl turned me down in the past, I was a complete mess for days. You should have seen me when I thought Una was going to turn me down. I couldn't sleep, eat, breathe-."

"Inigo," The eighteen year old's jaw shut in a second as he brought his eyes back up expectantly," That's fine…in moderation. You're a strong man, Inigo, and I couldn't be more proud of you," Despite being pushed away earlier, Lon'qu returned his encouraging grip on Inigo's shoulder," But no one is invincible, and you shouldn't pretend to be. If something is wrong, come to me," He squeezed," We'll figure it out together."

"I…I…," All of the emotions for earlier suddenly rushed back like a tidal wave. Inigo's breath began to shudder, and before he could stop himself, the tears began flowing out. He brought his fist to his mouth to try and suppress the sobs, happily leaning into his father's side when he wrapped an arm around him.

Inigo didn't know how long they stayed like that. Gods, he couldn't remember the last time he and his father were this close. He wished he could savor the moment, but the success felt empty without the assurance that Una was safe. There was a part of him that knew his father understood this guilt and chose to stay, even if Inigo couldn't find his voice to thank him.

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The first thing she felt was blinding hot pain. She groaned, mentally combating with the voice in her head screaming to get up. Sleep seemed like a much better option at the moment, especially with how much every inch of her body-

Wait. Since when did sleep every seem like a good idea?

Una's eyes popped open in a second, adjusting to the shadows surrounding her. It was definitely nighttime, and she…wasn't in her tent. Huh. She moved to push herself up, biting back the scream that came from her injured shoulder. When did that happen?

Oh gods.

The battle.

Inigo.

Una decided that pain was temporary and irrelevant at the moment and swung her legs off the edge of the cot. She must have been on a pretty high dosage of elixr right now to be moving this much, and part of her wanted to snag a bottle and down it before heading out on her mission. But facing the wrath of Maribelle seemed like more of a death sentence at the moment than her actual injuries, so she blindly reached for the crutches lovingly set by her bedside instead.

Gods, she hoped Inigo was okay. The last thing she really remembered was him reaching out to protect her from an arrow before everything went hazy. Her hand tightened it's grip on the handle as her mind spun a mile a minute. She knew Inigo; if he was okay, he would have been at her bedside. She wouldn't have approved of it, but he was a determined man. The fact that her entire tent was empty was not a comforting sign in the least.

She shook her head and garnered up what little strength she had to get herself onto her feet. Una immediately ditched her right crutch in favor of her burning shoulder, hissing in pain. Damn, what she wouldn't give for a healer to be in the tent right now. Hell, she'd even take Anna if that meant the throbbing pain would dissipate. She let out a low laugh; maybe pain wasn't as temporary as she originally hoped it would be.

The purple haired woman set her gaze forward in determination and steadily made her way towards the exit. What would usually take two seconds turned out to be a minute expedition with the mixture of her new injuries and one crutch, but by gods she was going to make sure Inigo was okay.

Una nearly cheered in relief when she finally pushed the tent flap open, but retreated slightly at the gust of winter air that blew in. Life was not giving her any handouts today, that was for sure. Do it for Inigo.

She took a deep breath in preparation before forcing herself through the exit. Camp had been successfully set up surrounding her, which meant they won the battle! That was good and all, but where was-

"Una?"

The voice was so quiet that she initially hadn't heard it. It was only when it was followed by the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow and startled breathing that she knew she wasn't imagining things. The first thing she processed was a pair of hands gripping each of her arms, the left hand quickly skirting down to her waist in order to save her wounded shoulder. An overwhelming smell of pine and rosin were next to reach her senses, quickly followed by an all too familiar sob. She squinted in the darkness and felt herself choke up in relief," Inigo," Una ignored the thankful tear that snuck it's way out of her eye and placed her good hand on his cheek, allowing her crutch to slip out from underneath her shoulder," You're okay."

"I'm okay?" Although he was obviously bawling, he still managed a scoff," Una, you're the one that got shot! Twice! What are you doing worrying about me? I-I was worried about you! I…," Inigo rested his forehead against hers," I thought you w-were going to-."

She moved her hand from his cheek to press gently against his lips," No, no, no. I didn't, th-that's what's important. I'm here now, okay? A-And I'm not going anywhere."

Inigo lightly kissed her fingertips," I-I was so useless. I—I couldn't protect you from—from the arrows, I-I couldn't…I couldn't get you to the healer in time," He whimpered," I w-wasn't even allowed to see you."

Well…that explained part of the reason he was missing from her tent. The thing she couldn't put together was who forbid him from visiting her," I don't understand."

The brunet pulled his head back, his eyes filled with a surprising amount of confliction," It was…There's a rule. No visitors unless they are a spouse or family."

Una furrowed her eyebrows. Yes, that was the case in the castle hospital, but they were at war. People were never stopped from seeing her before. Something was up, and Inigo wasn't very good at hiding that fact. This wasn't going to be the last they spoke of this, but her heart quickly overtook her mind and the tears were back," I'm so sorry, Inigo. I didn't mean to worry you."

Inigo responded only by pulling her closer. She gladly ignored any pain that came with their proximity and snuggled into her chest, muffling her cries into his shirt. She vaguely processed him wrapping the blanket formerly on him around the both of him, suddenly guilty for shivering during their exchange. Whether he was on the same wavelength as her or not was uncertain, but the soft kiss on the top of her head did wonders in comforting her. She returned the gesture by tightening her hug around his waist, holding him as close they could both fathom.

It didn't take long for the exhaustion to kick back in, and she knew it wouldn't be long before darkness clouded her vision. She let her eyes flicker to the medical tent behind her, Inigo's words echoing in her mind once more. Why wasn't she allowed visitors? It was lonely and cold in there, and she was positive nightmares would tug on her subconscious now that she had recovered slightly.

She just wanted to get some sleep.

Inigo shifted slightly, no doubt noticing more of her weight against him. Una didn't have to look at him to know he was wrestling with similar thoughts as her. The purple haired girl felt his hand cup the top of her head tenderly, using the leverage to tip her face up. His face did little to hide to worry in his features, but she had to give him some credit for the softness in his voice," You should get some rest."

Her mind immediately jumped; he was going to tell her to go back into the tent, and if he got caught in there with her, he'd get in trouble. She would tell him that she didn't want to be alone, but that would only cause more problems.

And for the first time in her life, Una decided to be impulsive," Can I stay with you tonight?"

Inigo's face burst into a bright shade of red, rivaling the color of Cordelia's hair," Wh-What?! I couldn't—I wouldn't dream of—not like this-."

"No! No, no, no, no—that's not what I meant!" Una felt her own ears burn horrifyingly pink," Oh gods, could you imagine—In the middle of camp—I wouldn't just spring that on-," She squeezed her eyes shut, planning each word before they came out of her mouth," I do not want to be alone tonight. I would feel more comfortable being with you."

"Oh," She allowed herself to squint one eye open when a bashful laugh escaped his lips," If you wanted to cuddle, you could have been more straightforward. I'm a bit embarrassed for taking it the wrong way."

Una felt a small smile creep onto her face," _You're_ embarrassed? I'm the one that accidentally insinuated it."

"But my dear, _I'm_ the one that-."

"This argument is fruitless," Una bit back a scream when Lon'qu's voice spoke up. Oh gods, they had been caught. She made herself small against Inigo as her former flame approached, her mind racing a mile a minute. There was no way she could explain this to him, and now he was going to hate her and tell everyone and they would all hate her-

She squeaked when she felt his hand clamp down on her good shoulder," You need sleep if you are going to recover. I will deal with the consequences as long as you both promise to rest."

Una felt as if a rock had dropped into the pit of her stomach. Did…Did he know? She sent a quick glance to Inigo and mentally confirmed it when she caught his nonchalant response," Thank you, father. Una," All of her anxieties melted away the moment he brought his tender gaze onto her. She felt him gently reach underneath her knees to scoop her into a bridal style position, holding her close to his chest. She barely noticed Lon'qu slip away, leaving them alone once more," Let's go, my love."

* * *

 **Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy!**

 **I loved this chapter! I think this is only the second time we've really seen raw emotions from Inigo (the first being after their argument), but this time he stepped up to the plate. When writing chapters, I always do a playthrough alongside it to give inspiration. I didn't directly mention it because neither Una or Inigo were directly involved with her, but this was Noire's recruitment chapter, and there are a TON of non-friendly Pegasus rider units. I remember Una getting kicked down pretty late and having Inigo step up, so I translated that into my story!**

 **But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The last chapter hinted on how Una and Inigo thought other people would react to their relationship if they came out about it, and this chapter delved further into that (Take a wild guess to what the next chapter is going to be about). Inigo isn't really related to anyone of Ylissean royalty/noble blood, so it makes sense that in this universe, Chrom wouldn't be too fond of the boy. Without Una around, it's easy to see him lashing out on Inigo (Keep in mind that Chrom was also super stressed about his best friend being critically injured and didn't want to make things worse. We don't attack Chrom in this house, even when he makes stupid decisions). I also just REALLY wanted to see how Inigo would take not being allowed to know if his girlfriend was okay. Anything surrounding the future children losing someone close to them is something that hits hard.**

 **That's why I really wanted his parents to be on his side! I did have Lon'qu and Olivia near Una and Inigo during the playthrough (gotta get those supports, my friends), so it was only natural that they step in to save their boy. While writing that scene, I knew that it was a lost cause to keep them in the dark about their relationship. However, I wanted to take the opposite approach for them that I took for Chrom; I think they would actually think higher of their son because of his relationship with Una. It shows them that he can settle down and that, when he does care about something, he puts all his effort in. Fun author fact! I actually left this scene off with Olivia ending and could not for the life of me figure out where I wanted Lon'qu and Inigo's conversation to go. It only hit me in a wave of inspiration a couple of weeks ago that I really wanted them to make up at this point (I think I knew that in my subconscious, but it was hard to find a way to go about that). I think it's funny that Lon'qu compared Inigo to a younger Una, because there** _is_ **some resemblance in their pursuals. Just wait until he tells Una. There wasn't too much to say about their reunion scene (other than that they love each other and I love them), but there were two things I really enjoyed about it: Una's internal monologue as she was leaving the tent, and the foreshadowing for the next chapter ;).**

 **Review time!**

 **Saber007: Hello! Oh my gosh, I love that idea! This is something that would _definitely_ happen between them, seeing that they're both romantic messes. I may or may not have someone we're all waiting for instigate the competition (I'm so excited, you have no idea). You'll just have to keep an eye out! Thank you for commenting!**

 **Okay, so I have hinted a little bit about what's going to happen in the next chapter, but I'd love to hear what you guys think! Your predictions are super fun to read, and I like to see where you think things are going to go. Chapter 13 will wrap up this little arc that we've got going, and then we're heading straight into introducing an important new player. Any guesses who it is? As always, thank you guys so much for reading! I'll see you next week!**

- **Uprisingdragon**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! Look: I'm not posting this super late at night today! I am actually a little ahead of schedule with both this chapter and next week's chapter completely done, so I'm feeling pretty good. I'm really excited for you guys to read what's next! Anyways, let's recap before the chapter to jog your memories: Inigo and Una managed to make it to the healers, but Una sustained serious injuries from the previous battle. Inigo tried visiting her in the medical tent, but was kept out because nobody knew about their relationship. This caused some good and bad things; it made it so that Chrom grew a distaste for him, but it also caused Inigo and Lon'qu to mend their family. Una did wake up at the end of the chapter, and the two went back to Inigo's tent. What could go wrong?**

* * *

Una was shocked awake when her pillow was yanked out from underneath her. Her shoulder hit the ground with an unforgiveable thud, shooting needles of pain up and down her arm. She hissed, ready to give Inigo a piece of her mind when the blanket covering her was pulled away, accompanied by a familiar set of protests. She pushed herself into a sitting position just fast enough to see Inigo's hand clawing at the ground before the tent flap swung shut.

It took her a few seconds to process just what happened, only to be forced back into reality by Inigo's horrified scream," Shit!" Una blindly patted the ground for any sort of weapon, whining in disappointment when her hand landed on his sword. Couldn't he have a tomb or spear lying around instead? She wasn't going to get very far with a weapon she hadn't touched in two years.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry-," Una perked up at the sound of Inigo's voice, adrenaline kicking in when he begged," Don't kill me!"

The purple haired girl didn't waste another second, deciding that the sword was as good a crutch as any and hobbled out of the tent ready for battle. Sunlight hit her face, blinding her to any upcoming attacks. She would have swung her sword up in defense if the surrounding area hadn't gone dead silent. That was…odd for a battle. Una blinked a few times to adjust before swinging her sword up," It's time to tip the-," The words died in her mouth when she realized it wasn't a thief that kidnapped her boyfriend, but Chrom. He had the brunet on the ground and was pointing Falchion at him as if he were a brigand who had snuck into the women's bathing tent. She dropped the sword with an annoyed huff," What did you do this time?"

Chrom stared at her with a baffled expression on his face," What do you mean?! He _kidnapped_ you!"

"…What?"

The blue haired man drove Falchion forward so that it was only a few inches away from Inigo's neck," He invaded the medical tent, abducted you, and violated your honor while you were vulnerable. These are all punishable offenses, and he cannot rely on his parents to get him out of this," He growled," Are you ready to face your judgement, Inigo?"

"What?!" Una frantically searched for any long distance weapon, but once again came up empty. How was she supposed to stop Chrom from killing her boyfriend?! It wasn't like him to jump to conclusions like this, and she needed to stop this before it was too late. With a strangled whine, she stooped down and scrambled to make a snowball. Falchion's tip was practically in Inigo's throat, but the assault was cut off when her makeshift weapon exploded against the back of Chrom's head," Hold on just a minute!"

The Exalt didn't move, much to her chagrin," Una, I know you're probably confused after waking up-."

"I'm not the one that's confused here, Chrom," She boomed, garnering the attention of the surrounding Shepherds. Great. She wasn't looking forward to this conversation, and the fact that it was going to be public made things 100% worst," Stand down."

Chrom held her stare for what felt like a full minute before finally sheathing his sword," Why are you defending him?" He barked," He knew very well that he was not allowed in your tent, so he decided that abducting you was the logical next step. I understand that you two are friends, but you cannot protect him from this."

Her eyebrows furrowed, her mind reeling back towards the previous night; Chrom was the one that told Inigo that he couldn't visit her? But why? He knew they were friends, he said so himself. Sure, he didn't know about their relationship, but she couldn't imagine things would have gone much better if he had. She glanced from her furious best friend to her mortified boyfriend, cursing the gods for only making her a tactical genius on the battlefield," He didn't abduct me, Chrom," She started slowly, hoping that her vagueness would steer him away from digging deeper," You're jumping to conclusions."

The blue haired man's muscles tightened," You expect me to believe that you magically appeared in his tent? Una, you can barely walk!" Suddenly, something seemed to shift in his stance," What's going on here?"

Shit. Shit. Shit. She quietly surveyed the crowd around them, finding most of them unfortunately invested in the debacle. The brown eyed girl found solace once she caught Lissa's face, who was clutching her staff so hard her knuckles were turning white. She sent her friend a nervous nod, filling her with a tiny bit of relief. At least the princess would stay on her side no matter what. It was faces like Cordelia, Frederick, and Maribelle that terrified her.

Una pulled her focus away and back to Inigo, who had pushed himself into a sitting position as soon as his assailant turned away. His eyes were wide with fear, but he made sure to send her a comforting smile when he mouthed _You don't have to do this. I'll be okay._

Was he preparing himself to take the blame? Was he insane?! Chrom didn't seem like he was kidding when he said Inigo would be punished, and she didn't want to find him lying dead in a ditch. No. This was going to happen eventually, and while she had been hoping to wait until after the war, it seemed like now was the time. She flashed him a nervous grin before facing Chrom with confidence," Inigo didn't kidnap me. I asked if I could stay with him."

Inigo, sensing where this was heading, was by Una's side in under a second. Chrom's hand immediately returned to Falchion's hilt, ready to withdraw at any second. When he spoke up, his voice was low," Why did you ask to stay with him?"

The tactician sighed before gently taking her beau's hand in hers," Because Inigo and I are in a relationship," An audible gasp sprung from the crowd, causing her heart to drop into her stomach," W-We know how bad this looks, especially on my end, but this is not some sort of tryst. We really care for each other, a-and we just want to be happy. Could you find it in yourselves to forgive us?"

The silence that followed her confession was crushing. Many of her fellow Shepherds looked horrified as they processed the weight of her statement, while Inigo's comrades were swimming in confusion. Some even bore an air of disgust. Una couldn't bring herself to glance at Chrom; she couldn't take it if he turned his back on her now.

"C'mon guys!" Her head perked up at the sound of Lissa's voice," You've got to be kidding me! It's not like this version of Inigo's a baby. They shouldn't have had to announce it in this way in the first place!"

Una's heart soared at her friend's support, and it nearly doubled in size when Maribelle shakily added," Well, I suppose they are both adults. They're old enough to make their own decisions, and I will stand behind my darlings no matter what. Even if they _don't bother to tell me_ ," She added with a look that screamed they were going to talk about this later.

The purple haired girl was too busy grinning like an idiot at her two best friends to notice Cordelia speak up," You're both okay with this?" Una was about to answer, only to get hit by the realization that she and Inigo weren't the couple she was referring to," He's your son!"

Shit. Una hadn't considered what Lon'qu and Olivia must have been going through right now. This wasn't supposed to be the way they found out! When she and Inigo talked about it, they agreed to sit his parents down and lay everything out for them. She had her suspicions from last night that Lon'qu knew, but that didn't make this public humiliation any better. Una prepared herself for a lengthy apology, but was cut off by Olivia's chipper," We support them."

The eighteen year old squeaked," W-What?"

"They knew," Inigo whispered back, wincing at her shocked expression," I didn't tell them, they figured it out on their own," He smiled sheepishly," Sorry?"

"That would have been good to know," She murmured back," Tell me next time?"

He let out a nervous chuckle," Let's get through this first, hm? I'm still unsure of whether or not I get to keep my head."

Unfortunately, Cordelia was having none of this," This is wildly inappropriate! Una is his godmother! His interest in her could not have come out of nowhere," She sent her a glare," I do not want to be the one to propose grooming, but-."

"Take that back!" Una commanded, suddenly finding it very hard to keep her cool," How could you say something like that?! You know I would never do something that vile!"

It felt like a punch in the gut when Cordelia brushed her off," Well? Inigo?"

She didn't know what she was expecting, but Inigo's bombastic laugh was definitely not it," What? Are you serious, my lady?" He wiped a fake tear from his eye," Una was hardly present during my childhood. She was too busy being the tactician of an army to spend the day with humble ole Inigo," He managed a small wink at his girlfriend," That didn't keep me from having a crush on you."

Una resisted the urge to drop her head in her hands when their companions groaned around them. Leave it to Inigo to try and put levity in a situation that could not have been worse," I appreciate that, but now is _really_ not the time for flirting."

It took place in a millisecond, but Cordelia's irises flickered briefly to the back of Chrom's head. Was she trying to impress him?! Una had assumed this pining had finished off after she got married, but she had given herself away. Poor Frederick," Fine. Maybe whatever _this_ is didn't start until recently, but that does not mean it's genuine. H-How long has this been going on, hm? I cannot be the first one to think that Una could be with Inigo's child-"

"Cordelia, that's enough," The Pegasus knight jumped at Chrom's command," Everybody, go back to your duties. This isn't entertainment. Una," She shrank under his sharp look," Medical tent. Now."

She gulped. There was only one time she had seen Chrom angrier than this, and it had been when Emmeryn died. Deep down, she knew that lying to him for this long was going to get them nowhere. She should have told him from the beginning, like Lissa and Owain. They were supposed to trust each other with everything, and she had let him down.

Una nodded feebly, waiting until the man had turned around to squeeze Inigo's hand," I think you should hang back for this. He might listen to me, but I doubt he's willing to hear you out right now."

The seventeen year old let past a small frown," I don't want you to face this burden alone. We are in this relationship together, after all."

"Don't worry, Inigo!" Una nearly jumped when Lissa's head popped out from underneath her good shoulder, wrapping her free arm to support Una's waist," I'll go with and mediate. He won't kick me out, I need to finish closing her wounds."

Owain popped out from the other side of Inigo, punching him in the shoulder," Fear not, Una! I will protect your true love from those who wish to bring harm to him! You can face your rival knowing your beau is in good hands."

Inigo sweat dropped," Did you say _harm_?"

"Una!"

The quartet turned to find Chrom at the tent, holding the flap open expectantly," Coming!" Lissa sent her son and Inigo a supportive thumbs up before helping Una limp towards the establishment. He watched them hobble inside, closing the exit while Lissa situated her on the medical cot. It reminded her of the many times she had gotten injured and the two royals checked up on her, but this was much more strained. The air was tense, and Una wasn't going to be able to right this one easily.

Chrom pulled up a stool from across the space and dragged it over so that he was sitting directly in front of her. He stared at her in silence for a few seconds, seemingly struggling for words himself. After what seemed like an eternity, his shoulders dropped with a sigh," Why?"

"Why…what?"

"Why him?" He ran his hand through his hair, his voice even. Una nearly cried in relief when she couldn't pick up the rage she felt earlier, even if he did still seem frustrated with the series of events that unfolded. It meant that no matter how grim things looked, their friendship was still salvageable," The age gap is bad enough as it is, but Inigo is philanderer. Do you honestly trust him enough to stay loyal?"

Una nodded in determination, trying to remain unfazed by the healer removing her blouse to wrap her shoulder wound," With all my heart."

"… _Really_?" Lissa snorted not only at her brother's exasperated tone, but the way he had to avert his eyes with a cherry red face in order to be decent," This is Inigo we're talking about. He has a new girl every day—hell, every hour. You cannot expect him to stay faithful."

Una was swimming in confusion until the solution hit her like a ton of bricks: Chrom wasn't mad at her because of the age difference, he was mad because he was being protective. Now that she was thinking about it, he had a very similar conversation with Lissa when she began courting Henry. Was…was he giving her the older brother treatment?

This revelation made her feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside," Chrom, you have nothing to worry about. He promised himself to me. Have you actually seen him flirt with anyone the past couple of weeks?" The blue haired man fell silent," See? He was only flirty because he wanted to settle down. He really is a big sweetheart."

Chrom absorbed this new information like a sponge, taking a few moments to formulate his next question," You said a couple of weeks? How long has 'this'," He motioned back and forth from her towards the opening of the tent a smattering of times," Been going on?"

She and Lissa exchanged a look," Uh, I guess since we left the Hot Spring? Not too long, I assure you. We didn't want to keep it a secret, but we also knew that many people wouldn't approve. We wanted to wait until this was all over, like you and Sumia did after the Plegian war."

Chrom softened at the mention of his wife," Oh. I see."

"I can't expect you to accept our relationship, because I know it is quite a shock," Una reached forward to take his hand," But could you find it in your heart to forgive us for keeping it a secret?"

He sighed in defeat," I can't stay mad at you, Una. I…apologize. I jumped to conclusions without letting the details stop me. Now that I think about it, you two were awfully close for someone who had been kidnapped," Chrom's older brother face flashed back," Just make sure to tell him that whatever he does to you, I'll do to him."

Una grimaced," That won't be necessary, Chrom."

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Inigo didn't know what was worse: Waiting for Una to wake up, or waiting to see if Chrom was going to kill them both. He had to say that both situations didn't seem too different from his point of view; Shepherds were still glaring at him and Chrom was still fuming. At least Una was conscious this time to soften the blow.

He let his head drop in his hands with a frustrated huff. He hated that she had taken a majority, if not all of the blame. They had both agreed to keep their relationship a secret. He was just too much of a coward to do more than stand behind her while she faced her friends off. Inigo was relieved when Lissa and Maribelle stepped forward, alongside his parents. It was only when Cordelia opened her mouth that things took a turn for the worst.

He glanced over at Owain, who was cheerily gulping down the lunch for that day. He had managed to coax his friend away from pressing his ear against the medical tent and into the mess hall, saying that getting a little food in him would make him feel better. Judging by the amount of dirty looks he was getting, Inigo wasn't so sure," Tell me it's not as bad as I think, Owain."

The blond shrugged," You managed to avoid the sword of legends, Falchion, didn't you? A weapon as just and true as that would have sliced you if it had thought you were guilty of a heinous crime!"

First Lon'qu apologized, and now Owain was being nice to him? Had he fallen into an alternative universe instead of the hot springs the other day? Inigo would have to write this in his diary, or else his future self would never believe it happened," Really?"

"I-I think Owain is right."

The two boys blinked at the new voice, surprised to find Nah to be the owner of it. She fiddled idly with one of her green braids, her gaze zeroed in on Inigo," Huh?"

She glanced between the pair before settling on the bench across from her target," I was there when the confrontation happened, and I don't really get what the big deal is. No one is talking about the age difference between my parents. I think it's just because it's you."

Inigo didn't know whether to thank her for the support or question her last sentence. Fortunately, Owain stepped in for him," Thank you, oh mighty dragon-ess! Your wise words bring an overwhelming sense of relief upon my comrade and I! How can he ever thank you enough?"

Nah shuffled uncomfortably, sending brief glances towards the surrounding Shepherds," It's really fine. I think it might take the other kids a bit of time to warm up to the idea, but for now, I'll sit by you boys."

The surprises kept racking up for the brunet. Out of all the children, Nah ranked among those who wasn't a big fan of either of them. Most of time, she ignored the two boys. The fact that she was standing by their side was earth-shaking to say the least," You want to talk to us?"

"Oh no," She laughed before pulling something out of her bag," I brought a book."

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Once Una was all cleaned up and healed, she took it upon herself to do some investigating. Maribelle turned out to be her best source and gave her a pretty good idea of the divide when she came to assist Lissa; According to her, the camp wasn't quite split down the middle. There were a few of them, including Lon'qu, Olivia, Lissa, Owain, Maribelle, Nah, Stahl, Nowi, Panne, Tiki, and Ricken, that stood by them strongly. Severa seemed to be a standout supporter, but Una was pretty certain it was more of a move of defiance against her mother than anything. There was a subcategory to that group including people who mostly stood by the couple, but were still processing what had just happened. Gaius lead this group, followed by Chrom, Sumia, Say'ri, Flavia, Lucina, Donnel, Brady, Cherche, Yarne, Noire, and Kellam. A few select people were making jokes about the situation, which Una assumed was either to show that they didn't care or that they actually found their relationship humorous. This group held Anna, Henry, Virion, Gregor, Cynthia, and Vaike.

Then there were the people that did not like them at all. Cordelia was the clear leader of the group, much to Una's annoyance. She knew this was deeper than her actually stance on the relationship; Cordelia had held a grudge against Una ever since she helped set up Sumia with Chrom. This seemed to be her way of getting revenge, and it was pissing Una off. Unfortunately, Cordelia wasn't alone in her ideology. Libra wasn't incredibly supportive, though he at least remained civil around them. Gerome didn't like Inigo much in the first place, so there was no way he was going to change his mind now. Frederick stood by his wife's side, Sully and Kjelle weren't too keen on the concept, and Tharja didn't like the idea of Una being in a relationship period. The only odd case about this situation was Laurent and Miriel, who decided to take the scientific approach and study them from afar to get notes.

By the time they had gone over everything, Una was beyond exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to return to her tent and curl up with a good book to unwind. But with everything set for them to resume their march tomorrow, she needed to come up with a few battle strategies in case they ran into trouble.

The purple haired girl groaned and let her head drop onto the table with a thud. Whenever she tried to write something down, Cordelia's words from earlier came back to bite her. Did people really think that of her? Deep down, she wanted to believe that that was Cordelia's bitterness speaking as opposed to her actual feelings on the matter. But what if people actually thought…

She was so immersed in her own thoughts that she barely noticed Inigo lean up against the desk next to her," Una? Are you alright?"

The tactician tipped her head up so that her chin was resting against the map instead of her forehead, absently shaking the dice in her left hand," Physically, I feel a lot better. Lissa said that if I take it easy the next couple of days, my leg and shoulder will be as good as new."

He hummed," And emotionally?"

With a small sigh, she slumped back in her seat in defeat. He had gotten really good at weaving around her diversions, something she both appreciated and despised. Talking about her feelings was one of her weakest spots, and she really wasn't in the mood to cry again,"…Fine."

Inigo rose his eyebrow to that, scooting closer so that he hip rested against one of her arms. He took a few seconds to observe her, concern clear in his irises. She was about ready to push him away when he let out a melodramatic huff," Well, my day has been terrible! I know we're in a war, but being on the brink of death two days in a row has proved to be quite taxing. I am starting to consider writing a will if this type of thing continues."

Una tried very hard not to smile at his theatrics, but threw in the towel when he flopped backwards onto the table," Chrom wouldn't have killed you…I think," Instead of responding, he merely patted the spot on the table next to him. After doing a quick scan of the tent to double check no one was with them, she hopped up onto the surface," I'm honestly surprised that your parents didn't kill _me_."

"They love you," He flattered, playfully grabbing a handful of fabric on the back of her dress to pull her down next to him. She squeaked, giggling as Inigo slid his arm around her shoulders to secure her into his side," They're about ready to adopt you by the looks of it."

She looked back at him in surprise," Really?"

"Of course," He poked her nose," Now we just have to get everybody else on the same page and we'll be golden."

Una, despite her best efforts, felt her face fall for the hundredth time that night," That'll be a bit harder, won't it?"

She felt her heart sink when she was met with silence. Was he regretting getting himself into this mess with her? She was the one that initially kissed him after all. She didn't want him to feel like he was pressured into this relationship, but had she unintentionally do just that? How long was it until he-

Una squeaked in surprise when he propelled the two of them up off the table and onto their feet, his famous grin prevalent on his face," You mustn't think like that, Una! Everyone adores you, so they'll have to warm up to the idea eventually. And, if you don't like the way they're acting, you can just put them on the frontlines!"

"That's not how it works," The girl played along, knowing fully well that he was joking," I reckon killing the people we don't agree with makes us no better than the enemy."

Inigo met her look with a charming one of his own," If you say so, madame tactician," His eyes lit up with an idea, and before she could process what was happening, her boyfriend was standing directly in front of her with one of her hands in his," I know what will take your mind off this conundrum! We should dance!"

Just like that, any insecurities about what other people thought about their relationship were heavily outweighed by her own insecurities about her terrible dancing ability. The last time she danced with someone, she had stepped on Ricken's toes so many times that one of them had been sprained. Her dancing wasn't just bad; it was dangerous," But I'm not good at it…"

"But nothing, Una," He sang, coaxing her gaze away from the table," I'm sure you are as graceful on the dancefloor as you are the battlefield."

"If you meant that I'm a monster in both fields, then you would be correct," The dark flier wrapped her arms around herself before quietly murmuring," I wouldn't be good enough at it anyway."

He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles pensively, unknowingly causing Una to shiver," I have an outrageous idea, but you're going to have to trust me."

Oh gods, this was going to be a nightmare. She preferred the safety of her tactician chair to trying to keep up with the best male performer in the camp, but said performer was staring at her with a look that could melt butter. And melt she did," Okay, but go easy on me. My leg is a bit numb from the elixir."

She swore that his smile lit up the entire room," No worries; I am honored to support you!" Inigo immediately started by placing her left hand on his right shoulder, as if he was worried she would pull away if he didn't. When she remained still, he took this as an indication to push forward by taking her right hand in his left and raising it up into the air. Una was doing fine until his free hand reached the small of her back and guided her so that they were only a few inches apart.

Una shrieked when she felt his arm tighten around her waist and bring her up so that her feet were resting on top of his shoes. It didn't do much to add to her height in comparison to his, but something about this situation caused her stomach to fill with butterflies. Come on, Una! He had sat flush behind her on Winnie several times, and this didn't even compare to their hunting net fiasco. They were just a normal couple, and normal couples didn't get freaked out over intimacy. She made the mistake of peeking up, and something about his cheeky grin caused her to blush," Baby steps, my love."

As mortifying as this all was, she had to give credit where credit was due. She couldn't make a misstep if she was on top of him. He may not be the brainiest individual, but he was pleasingly suave. So, instead of arguing or pushing him away to protect her pride, she only tightened her grip on his shoulder.

As much as she wanted to brush it off to save her bashfulness, the truth of the matter was that they hadn't had a moment like this. The public's scrutiny were both out of sight and mind at this point, even though they might have been right outside the tent flap. With one look into his hickory eyes, she found herself far away from those silly rumors and this damned war. Instead, she was in a world that belonged just to the two of them.

Inigo gazed back at her amorously, his shyness nowhere in sight. If anything, he drew her even closer than before," I promise not to let you fall."

"It's not falling I'm worried about," She replied sheepishly.

He chuckled at that, using the conversation to distract her from the fact that he slowly began to rock her back and forth," You say that as if you've danced before. Should I be worried?"

Una didn't initially respond, her focus completely centered in on her feet," Hmm?"

The dancer rolled his eyes before whirling her into a dip, beaming at her tiny yelp," This is interesting," He murmured teasingly," Usually I'm the one that's nervous." The eighteen year old would have responded, but knowing that anything she could have managed to say would come out pathetic, she snapped her mouth shut. Since when had Inigo been the smooth one in the relationship? She would have to get back at him for this for sure. But there was a twinkle in his eye, and despite the fact that she was positive she was making a fool out of herself, she felt herself relax in his grip.

In one smooth motion, she was back on her own feet and swaying in his arms. Every once in a while his fingers would twitch, probably itching to try out an elaborate move on her. Thankfully, Inigo would always return his focus to her with the fondest expression on his face instead. She felt herself getting lost in that look, her heart leaping into her throat every time it appeared. What had this boy done to enrapture her like this? Every time she looked at him, she felt safe. Maybe they hadn't known each other for very long, but every time she thought about the future recently, he had been the one she pictured at her side. Was…was this what-

Una was abruptly yanked from her thoughts when her foot landed on uneven ground, emitting a muffled yowl from her partner," Oh gods, I'm so sorry!" Not wanting to cause any more harm, Una abjectly stepped away," I guess I'm not really good at this, huh?"

She had to give him credit; Inigo recovered remarkably fast," Not at all, Una," With one swoop, he had reclaimed her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on her knuckles," Thank you for the dance. It was an honor."

She ignored her inevitably pink ears, her mind suddenly and completely zeroed in on how soft his lips had been. Una slowly brought her gaze up to meet his, her voice embarrassingly wobbly," You missed."

Inigo flirtatiously quirked an eyebrow in response, holding it together surprisingly well for someone who's face had warmed up a great deal. He kept his hand locked in hers, but used his free one to tenderly reach under her chin. The brunet tipped it up ever so slightly so that his lips were only a centimeter away from hers. She locked her gaze with his, leaning in to close the distance between them.

Instead, she was met with a flustered exhale and a hand covering her eyes," I-I'm sorry. I can't do this with you looking at me like that," Despite the obvious sexual tension dissipating with his spooked reaction, Una couldn't help but let out a giggle," It's just so embarrassing!"

"That's okay," The tactician replied cutely as she peeked out from between his fingers," I know you're shy. Would it make you feel better if I closed my eyes?"

"…Could you?"

Goodness, this boy was going to be the end of her. Una happily obliged, feeling the tenseness in his body dissipate alongside her vision. If it made him more comfortable, than she was more than willing to meet him halfway.

The kiss was short and tentative, but it made her chest swell with pure joy. Inigo was a deceiving boy, what with his constant flirting and smooth dance moves. It made tender moments such as these feel more special; more intimate. She gleefully leaned into the kiss, her toes curling with pleasure when he let a blissful sigh escape.

Inigo was the first to pull away, even though he kept his hand up to obscure her vision. She kept to her word and did not peek, even though that was more because she knew what she would see if she did; Inigo's face was no doubt the shade of a tomato. Eventually he did uncover her eyes, but the trace of a blush was still dusted across his cheeks. The pair smiled smittenly at each other for even longer after until an owl's hoot in the distance brought them back to tactician's tent and, subsequently, reality.

The mercenary squeezed her hand affectionately," How about we get some shut eye?"

Una wanted nothing more than to jump into her cot with Inigo and cuddle with him until they both fell asleep, but the nagging voice of responsibility coaxed her attention back to her map," I don't know. I think I should spend some more time thinking up extra strategies."

"Oh come now," Inigo won out over the desk, because it didn't take much coaxing for him to get Una outside," We're marching through a snowy tundra. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

 **Lots to unpack in this chapter! So this was the third chapter of what I am going to refer to as the "Outing Una and Inigo's Relationship" Arc. I tried to take the perspectives of everyone in camp into account, alongside their relationships in this world. Chrom's point of view was touched upon a lot, but I do want to take a moment to look at Cordelia. I know she was very harsh in her stance against Una, but I am here to explain her actions: She is married to Frederick (the poor guy she settled for), which means that her feelings for Chrom have not gone away in this universe. She doesn't want to blame Sumia, her best friend, for marrying the man she is in love with, so she instead directs her bitterness towards Una, who set them up. I also wanted to introduce the idea of Severa more heavily in the story concerning this plot thread, so make sure to keep an eye out for her! Nah's POV was also touched briefly touched upon, so don't think I didn't do that for no reason. She will also become a more prevalent player in this game. What are your guys' thoughts? And finally, I ended with some fluff to balance out all the angst of the past couple chapters. All I'm going to say is that Soleil had to inherit her two left feet from someone, and we all know it's not Inigo. Review Time!**

 **Saber007:** **Haha, I don't want to give anything away! All I'm going to say is to keep your eye out, because a certain someone is going to be joining the story very soon. :)**

 **I mentioned above that I am kind of dividing the rest of this story into arcs, so with this one finished we are onto the next. This one will definitely be longer than the past one, and I'm thinking it will lead right up to the final battle against Walhart. Any thoughts on what it could be about? I love to hear your responses, they're so fun! As always, thank you for reading, and I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! I'm really excited for today's chapter, because we're getting a new character! You guys are smart, so you probably already know who they are. We're going to pick off almost right where we left off, with the Shepherds on the march towards Walhart. The group knows about the relationship now and are slowly picking up the pieces. I'm leaving it vague because of what is going to happen in this chapter. Happy reading!**

* * *

" _What's the worst that could happen_?"

Inigo slid his eyes over to his girlfriend, who was shooting him the most unimpressed look he had yet to encounter," You're the one that's closer with Chrom," He defended weakly," You should have known this would happen after the Hot Spring Fiasco."

Everything that day had started according to plan. While there had been a handful more glares than Inigo would have liked, the tense air from the previous day seemed to have dissipated slightly. The only future kid that refused to talk to him was Gerome, and that wasn't out of the ordinary for him. Aside from one mortifying instance when Nowi asked if Una really was pregnant (something the both of them denied profusely), things seemed to be going well.

Inigo nearly leapt for joy when they came across a small town sometime in the mid-afternoon. They said they supported the rebellion and offered them to stay for lunch, free of charge! If it had been a month ago, he would have used this time to flirt with the village maidens. Alas, that was the Inigo of the past; He was thrilled to be with his lady now, and the weird surge of muscle memory that hit him when another woman walked by left him feeling a little sick.

Instead, he decided to sit by Owain and Nah as he had the day before. The latter was as quiet as usual, and Owain was chatty enough for the both of them. He was pleasantly surprised when they were also joined by Lucina and Cynthia. It was clear that Lucina was trying to extend an olive branch, being the type of leader she was. He didn't let it show, but her kindness went very much appreciated.

Cynthia, on the other hand, was annoying as usual. Una had warned him that morning about where people fell when it came to their relationship, and the group that found them humorous baffled him. He couldn't wrap his head around what she meant until the younger princess bounced in and teased him about "how long this bet was going to last".

The Shepherds were packing up to leave when Chrom bounded in front of them, a shimmer in his eye. Apparently there was some sort of treasure just a few miles off their path holding something deeply valuable for the army. Una and Frederick appeared more wary about the new plans, but neither of them wanted to be the one to snuff out their Lord's excitement. After all, it was only a few miles off. According to Una, they would swoop in and out with no problem.

What the villagers had failed to tell them was that there would be risen there.

Una wrinkled her nose, scanning the surrounding tundra and it's various enemies with distaste," Is this the place?"

"Yeah, it's got to be. The townsfolk spoke of ruins in these parts that carry the legacy of the divine dragon," The blue haired man pointed about a mile into the distance where a temple carved out of a glacier sat, his irises gleaming with excitement," Of course, they neglected to mention that the place is crawling with Risen...," Much to her chagrin, he eagerly withdrew Falchion and pointed it towards the sky," I suppose we're just gonna have to earn this treasure the old-fashioned way!"

Inigo bit back and laugh when he caught Una's exasperated look. She was the most selfless person he knew, but the fact that they were fighting for treasure instead of people in need was something she obviously did not approve of. She sent Frederick a pleading look, but he turned his head away quickly. Inigo couldn't tell if it was because he still didn't approve of her relationship with him or if he didn't want to be the one to spoil Chrom's fun. Either way, the Shepherds were heading into battle.

"Okay," Una started as she scanned the field in front of her," It looks like we've got a variety of enemies on our hands. I would love for the Pegasus riders and the wyvern riders to try and scout ahead so that we can push the risen towards the middle. Maribelle, take Gaius towards the Northeast corner of the area. I see another temple and want him to break into it. Who knows, maybe there'll be more treasure," Her two friends shot her a thumbs up," Tharja and Henry, equip Nosferatu and lead the defensive approach. I know you two can recover quickly if you get hit, and worst comes to worst, Lissa will be right there with you. Any questions?"

The white haired boy shot her a grin," My body is pulsing! I wonder if it'll explode!"

"Not a question, but alright," Una gave him a thumbs up," Anyone else? No? Okay, let's head out!"

As the Shepherds began to flow out to prepare for battle, Inigo saw Chrom clap a hand on Una's shoulder and pull her back. This couldn't be good. Una was visibly very stressed yesterday when he visited her tactician tent, and he decided that focusing on making her feel better was more important than pushing her to explain what happened. Something he was learning was that Una much preferred approaching him to talk about her worries than have him push her to divulge. Her giddy nature from last night definitely made up for it, but it only occurred to him now that he still wasn't sure of what happened between her and Chrom when they left. Had they made up? Or was he going to pull a nasty trick? Inigo decided to hang back just to be sure.

Una, sensing that whatever he wanted to talk about was meant to be private, waited until a majority of the army had dispersed before raising her eyebrow expectantly," What is it?"

"I want you to hang back for this battle," The tactician inhaled sharply, her mind clearly zooming a mile a minute in order to shoot back a convincing response. Chrom decided to cut her off before she could come up with one," Look at you; you're limping and your arm is in a cast. Don't you think it would be a good idea for you to take it easy?"

Ah, so this wasn't about their relationship. That was good! He would have to thank Chrom later for being so supportive. Maybe a cup of tea would suffice? He would have to arrange a meeting with Maribelle to chat about what his favorite blends-

"-right, Inigo?"

The brunet blinked out of his thoughts and sweat-dropped when he found the pair staring at him expectantly. Had they been talking to him? Shoot. Here he had been thinking about if Chrom enjoyed Lavender instead of paying attention! He needed to cover his tracks and quickly," Right…unless the answer is wrong," After all, there couldn't be a wrong answer when he didn't choose a side! He confidently puffed his chest out in pride, deflating slightly when he saw the flabbergasted looks the two captains were giving him,"…Why are you staring at me? You know I get embarrassed easily."

The Great Lord face shifted into exasperation while Una dropped her head in her hands. Hm. Maybe there was a wrong answer," Leave him out of it," Chrom sighed, causing his heart to sink. Tea was definitely off the table now," You're staying back, and that's an order."

Una placed her working fist on her hip in annoyance," You can't give me orders! I'm the tactician! I give you orders."

"Well I'm the Exalt, so I guess that trumps all," He bantered back, rubbing her hair playfully in the process. Inigo nearly shrank in fear when he caught the infuriated glint in her eyes," I'm going to the temple with Sumia. Anna," The Trickster perked up in the distance," Keep an eye on Una. Make sure she doesn't leave this area."

The Secret Seller sent an enthusiastic salute back," Aye Aye, Captain!"

Before Chrom could flee the scene, the mercenary snagged his arm," My lord, might I suggest I stay back with Una? She and I are a team. I don't know if I feel comfortable leaving her side."

The Exalt's stare flickered from his gasp to his eyes, moving sharp enough to make Inigo release him," Actually, I thought it might be a good idea if we paired up today. I want to make sure you're up to standard for the upcoming battles, especially if you and Una are going to be working together from here on out," He lowered his voice," We may not agree on anything, but we both know that we don't want a repeat of two days ago."

Inigo sniffed, but decided against talking back. As much as he didn't like hearing that from Chrom, the man had a point in what he was implying. The dancer _wasn't_ able to protect Una, and there was no telling if he could do the same today. _Not that she really needed protecting_ , he thought as the purple haired girl caught his attention. If anything, she looked more fired up now than she did for a normal skirmish. It was amusing to watch her repeatedly stab her spear into the ground, her gaze zeroed directly on Chrom. As much as he wanted to support her, he hated the memory of her with two arrows sticking out of her body more. Moping about the situation wasn't going to do anyone any good, so he settled by plastering on his signature smile to appease the masses," I won't let you down, Captain."

"Good," Chrom nodded before heading in the direction of his wife," Meet me at the front lines in ten minutes. Don't be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Inigo called back chipperly. Sure, everything about this situation screamed aggression from the Exalt's side, but Inigo decided to take this new partnership to his advantage. With Chrom being one of the closest people to Una, it would mean a lot to her if he got his blessing for them. So what if it didn't happen over tea? Inigo would just have to fight twice as hard!

He felt Una's hand brush his forearm," He'll come around eventually, I promise. For now, you better go."

"Worry not, Una," He pounded his fist in his palm optimistically," I plan on winning more than the battle today."

Inigo felt a blush crawl across his cheeks at the amused expression on her face," You plan on winning Chrom?"

Oh gods, had he implied that? The brunet's face heated tenfold in complete humiliation. She was never going to let him live this down, was she? Inigo let out a breathy chuckle," That was a lovely jest, Una, but you know that's not what I meant…at least, I hope you know that."

Una clasped her hands behind her back and hummed," I don't know, Inigo. I might have to keep a closer eye on you two from now on."

Yup. She was never going to let this go.

Inigo sighed in defeat. At least she was smiling," Are you sure you'll be alright, Una?"

The purple haired girl huffed out a small sigh of her own, her head dipping slightly in disappointment," I'll be fine. There's not much I can do with this, anyway," She held up her injured arm to prove her point," Be safe out there."

Inigo pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek," How could I be reckless knowing a beautiful lady such as you is waiting for me to return?"

The grumpy expression he loved so dearly popped back, even though her response to his flirtations was as clear as her pink ears," I take it back. Chrom can have you."

0-0-0

The battle had taken an unexpected turn when the army advanced on the Risen, and it made Inigo wish he had fought more for Una's involvement. First of all, the Risen weren't Risen at all. They were _invisible_. What was an even odder was the familiar look Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick shared," The invisible warthogs are back."

Inigo felt his brow drop," Beg pardon?"

"Invisible warthogs," The mercenary would have laughed, but the blasé look on his captain's face gave away that he was completely serious. If anything, he seemed confused by Inigo's bafflement," We ran into them a few hours before we met Una. Princess…what was her name?" Lissa shrugged," I guess that's not important. She lead an army similar to ours and helped dispel the beasts from our land," Something shifted in the man's eyes," Come to think of it, one of men I talked to looked a bit like you. Mentioned something about dancing and Olivia…"

Initially he assumed Chrom was seeing how far he could pull Inigo's believability, but bringing his mother into his wild story intrigued him. A solider like him? Well, that took all the spice out of Inigo's unique factor. He needed to step his personality up if he wanted to stand out.

Inigo flipped his sword in his hand pensively, trying to think up a cool response that would leave a good impression," So, how do you propose we fight these invisible warthogs?"

"Just like any other soldier," The blue haired man rose his eyebrow challengingly," Do you think you can keep up?"

Ah, so this was what is was going to be. The dancer should have foreseen that Chrom would find the most value in a formidable fighter. If it was a warrior he wanted, it was a warrior he was going to get," Funny. I was going to ask you the same thing."

0-0-0

Una _hated_ this.

Being treated like glass because she was younger was bad enough, but now that she was injured, Chrom was more than happy to be her out of commission. She found the protective older brother stint endearing yesterday, but now it was just pissing her off. How was the army supposed to succeed without guidance? Hell, what kind of a tactician would she be if she sent the troops ahead and watched from a safe distance? It felt wrong.

She was about ready to formulate a plan to sneak away when she felt the ground shake. An earthquake in this region? That was odd to say the least. There was something about the villagers failing to tell them about the risen and the weird aura engulfing the battlefield that didn't sit well with her.

Then, the sky opened up.

Una's eyes nearly popped out of her head when an actual crack ripped open a portion of the sky and spat out a young boy. His startled yells caught the attention of nearly everyone on the battlefield as he scrambled in the air, only quieting when his body barreled into a pile of snow. As soon as he landed, the portal abruptly shut, leaving him stranded.

The tactician gulped as she scanned the battlefield; the stranger had landed on the southeast portion of the area, leaving the risen closer to him than the Shepherds. After a fall like that, there was no way he'd be able to defend himself against them. If only one of the Pegasus Riders had stayed in the Southwest section with her! Then they could quickly fly over and-

"H-Hello?" Her ears perked a frantic call in the distance. It had to be him! How the heck was he still alive? Una's head swiveled from the Shepherds on the other half of the terrain to the boy, praying that someone nearby could hear him," Is anyone there?! I n-need help! Hello?"

Una decided that wasting times on "if onlys" was doing nobody any good and promptly mounted Winnie, deciding that the fallback from Chrom was something she could handle more than her conscious berating her for allowing an innocent to die. The last thing she heard was Anna's surprised," Wait!" Before taking off into the air.

0-0-0

Inigo slashed one of the warthogs in half, waiting until the purple flames engulfing their body died out to wipe the blood off his face. Damn, these creatures were formidable to say the least. When he thought of warthogs, he was brought back to a story from his childhood about the animal and it's meerkat partner. It had been portrayed as friendly and harmless, so all he had prepared himself for was perhaps having to deal with a hula dance or two. After getting nicked on his cheek by an enemy sword, he was beginning to think that Chrom was blind.

He sighed; at least Una would get a kick out of this story later.

The brunet was about to look back and check to see if the enemy opposition had slipped past their frontlines when a nearby grunt caught his ear. Inigo spun around quickly to find Chrom on the ground holding Falchion above him, trying desperately to keep a particularly nasty warthog off of him. Instinct kicked in as he pushed back the stinging sensation from his cut; he decided against using a few seconds to come up with something quippy and jabbed forward, catching the enemy's back with his sword. It took a few seconds for his opponent to slump in defeat, but once it finally did, Inigo pried it off and held his hand out," These are some strange warthogs, wouldn't you say?"

Chrom let out a relieved laugh and accepted the boy's hand to help him to his feet," I don't recall them being this difficult. Must be some treasure, huh?"

Inigo's chest warmed at the sound of the man's chuckle. Baby steps," Yeah."

The two prepared to move forward, but a slight rumbling in the ground caught the mercenary's attention. Great, another earthquake. They had been exceedingly and irritably common in his future, but that had always been in a war torn battlefield. Something he had read over Una's shoulder about using the terrain to your advantage popped into his head, and without taking the time to think about it, he brushed some of the snow away to examine the ground. No cracks? To double check his hypothesis, he knocked on the surface and startled to find they were actually standing on ice. Did earthquakes affect ice?

Inigo caught Chrom's questioning look and decided to let him in on his thought process," Something's not right here."

Then, the sky opened up.

The brunet could only watch in awe as a bright, white light gleamed through a crack, opening wide enough for someone to fall out. There were several things going through his head, but nothing stood out more than the fact that this was nothing like the portal he had crossed through when he came from the future. Could this be another enemy?

Inigo would have assumed so if not for the poor boy screaming bloody murder as he tumbled mercilessly towards the earth. He winced when the body hit the ground, followed abruptly by the portal closing. What the heck…

Just when he thought things couldn't go worst, a familiar black smudge in the distance heading straight towards the victim snagged his eye," Oh no."

Chrom, shaken by what he had just witnessed and looking about ready to follow the boy himself, gaped," What? What's wrong?"

"Una's going to help him."

The two men didn't even need to articulate their change in plans before taking off after her.

0-0-0

She had to admit, steering a Pegasus with one hand was a lot harder than she expected, but thankfully the distance between the two islands wasn't too far. Una landed Winnie as gracefully as she could with her limited steering abilities and hopped off, shooting onto her knees to inspect the boy. He was breathing heavily, painted in a terrorized expression. She carefully reached out to brush some of the snow away from his head, pausing at his whimper. When he didn't make any indication to lash out, she followed through as gently as possible, her stomach lurching when she was met with his bloodied face. The gash on the side of his head was scary, and she was beginning to think that she found a living corpse instead of a victim.

Una decided right away that her first approach was going to be to compose him," You made quite the entrance."

If seeing him conscious was startling enough, having him shoot up into a sitting position to wrap her into a hug nearly gave her a heart attack," Mother! I was beginning to think we got separated!"

…Did he say _mother_?! Una prayed that her stunned countenance didn't show as she gently guided him away, using this brief pause to scan. It was hard to truly discern what he looked like when his face was covered in blood, and the more baffling aspect of his appearance was his mop of gray hair. Nobody in the army shared that shade of gray,"...I'm sorry, what?"

He merely shrugged, oblivious to how evidently she was freaking out," Well, no harm done. At least we can head home now," The boy let out a shaky whistle,"...Goodness, the air here agrees with you! You look a decade younger, at least."

"Wait, wait, wait," The purple haired girl waved her hands frantically," Let's go back to the "Mother" thing...Did you travel back from the future with Lucina?" This was a good place to start. After retrieving so many kids, she had come up with a script of sorts to run by in her head. Brining up the Princess always seemed to do the trick.

Then again, none of the other kids had tumbled out of the sky.

The boy tilted his head in confusion," Huh? Who's Lucina? And did you seriously just ask me if I came from the future?" His puzzled look quickly shifted back into a panicked one, though he appeared to be trying to mask it with a smile. Why did that seem so familiar? Una felt her gaze narrow as she tried to place it,"...Why are you looking at me like that? Hello? It's me! Morgan…at least, I'm pretty sure it's Morgan," The boy laughed nervously,"...Your son? Love of your life and strapping young lad and all that? Wow, you're really acting strange today. Let's go home and get you to bed," The gray haired boy fumbled onto his feet, ignoring his mother's protests as she scrambled up after him," Hmm, but which way is home? Is it-," Without warning, Morgan legs gave out underneath him. The fear he was trying to hide earlier was suddenly very out in the open," Ngh! M-my head! What happened? Where am I? What's going on, Mother? I-I can't remember anything. I-I tried to, b-but…but…"

He couldn't remember anything? Oh gods, fate really was messing with her today, " Easy—don't try to force it! Just stay calm and listen to me," Una kneeled down, trying to press the fact that the risen were approaching at an uncomfortable distance towards the back of her head. They weren't going to make it far if Morgan didn't calm down," I know this sounds mad, but I believe that you came here from the future."

Morgan choked, her explanation doing nothing to sooth his nerves," Are you out of your mind? That's not even possible!"

"Actually, it is. Think about it. You said I looked younger, but look again. Closely. Do I look like I'm of an age where I could have a child as old as you?" He shrugged, and she fought the urge to be offended," At this point in time, in _our_ time, you still haven't been born."

She decidedly left out the part that there was no way she could have been his mother to keep his head on. How could that have been possible anyway? She wasn't married, and the only person she had ever been in a real relationship thus far was Inigo. There was no way he could be the father; why would their potential child from the future come back to fight in their war? Heck, there was no future child for them to speak of in the first place! They had only been courting a couple of weeks, and marriage seemed like an eternity away. Even if some future version of her hadn't ended up with Inigo, she highly doubted she could have had a child. From what she heard from the future children, she died before she could have a baby of her own. From what Morgan was explaining, he had only recently been separated from his mother.

Her heart nearly shattered when he sniffled, desperately grasping to understand something," Y-you do look younger, but..."

"It's hard, I know. And you don't have to believe me right this minute. But you must come with me. It's dangerous alone, especially if your memory is gone."

Morgan's voice grew small," Danger?"

She opened her mouth to respond when something caught her eye," Where…," Una brushed some of the snow off his shoulders, her throat closing up when she did so," Where did you get that coat?"

"From you," The gray haired boy replied semi-confidently, though his voice wavered. If it had been anyone or anything else, Una would have claimed this was a trap. But she had only seen that coat once, and she was positive it was still safely locked in her trunk on the caravan. It was the same one she had worn during the Plegian war, something she had stored away for the good of Ylisse once things were finished. There was no way he could have stolen it, and definitely no way the fear in his irises was fake.

He was her son.

She had a son.

Una pressed her fist against her lips, fighting the urge to burst into tears in front of him. For the past two years, she had resigned herself to a fate without a family or a future. Being their godmother was fun and all, but she had always longed to be a mother. She never let anyone know, even Inigo. She didn't want them to feel guilty for her.

But here he was, right in front of her! And he was perfect.

The new mother was about ready to throw herself onto him when a sudden movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Was something seriously ambushing her during her tender moment? A low growl emitted itself from her lips as she cautiously got back to her feet," Stay down, Morgan. I've got this."

The tactician-in-training's lip wobbled," B-But you're injured."

With one smooth motion, she pulled her weapon out from Winnie's holster and thrusted it in front of her," It only takes one arm to wield a lance."

She scanned the area warily, taking every aspect of her surroundings into account. She could hear the risen, but couldn't see anything. Her eyes shifted to the ground and nearly jumped when she spotted four pairs of footprints stalking towards her. They were invisible?! Why hadn't anyone alerted her sooner? This completely defeated the purpose of her previous strategy-

The sound of an arrow zipping by her ear yanked her back into reality," Right. Not the time to dwell on what should have happened," There was no way to tell what weapons her opponents had, but their placement was easily given away in this environment. Una didn't like to gamble, but she wasn't left with much of a choice at this point.

Without a second thought, she dove forward towards the two flanking her right. The dark rider managed to stab one right away and used the skewered body to slam into it's companion, causing both of them to fall onto the ground. The imprints their bodies left underneath them gave her a full body, leaving her a larger topic to stab. She quickly yanked her spear from the new corpse and drove it into the collapsed enemy, pressing it in until she stopped felling movement in her handle. Two down, two to go.

"M-Mother!"

Una's head whipped up to see her next targets' footprints hunt down her son, who was frantically scrambling back in the snow. She wasted no time pursing her adversaries, jutting the sharp end of her lance out and swinging it against the backs of the creatures. It seemed that her reach was a little short, because the footsteps stopped and turned around to face her. She titled her head to indicate Morgan to get behind Winnie, waiting until he followed orders to advance.

Using a battle cry to direct their attacks towards her, she swiped at one of their legs to try and get a bigger picture like before. She just barely missed and was hit with what felt like the blunt end of an axe, sending her stumbling backwards. Her injured leg was quick to give out on her, leaving her on her butt in the snow. Not what she wanted, but she was good at improvising.

The purpled haired girl watched the footprints charge her at an alarming rate, waiting until they were only a few feet away to tip her lance up at a forty-five degree angle and pierce the enemy. Using the momentum from his rush, she leaned flat against the ground and let the pole arc above her with the monster attached to it. It's head smashed into the ground, and with the combined effort of the stab wound she inflicted, died quickly.

She pulled an elixir from her pocket and took a swig, willing the needles prickling in her leg to go away. Gods, this injury couldn't fade soon enough. She pulled her weapon out of the invisible risen and propped it on the ground to help her onto her feet, using this brief time to spot the last opponent. Where did it-

"Mother, duck!"

Una didn't hesitate following the orders and plunged back into the snow, her head missing a bolt of Thoron by centimeters. She heard the tell-tale sound of the enemy collapse behind her and exhaled in disbelief. It looked like luck was on her side after all," Morgan, you know how to-," Her question was immediately cut off by the sight of her son crumbling into the snow with a tomb in his hands," Morgan!"

She barreled back to his side, cursing when she realized he had fallen unconscious. Dammit! She should have protected him, not the other way around. Una let out a worried whine, using her sleeve to apply pressure to his head wound. He shouldn't have pushed himself by using a spell that advanced while harmed! Her stare flickered from Winnie to Morgan, trying to calculate how she could get him onto her Pegasus without straining her own injuries. Think, Una, think!

Her stomach dropped when her prayers were answered by the sound of more footsteps. No, not another enemy. Una would fight until she had nothing left, but there wasn't much time! She needed to get Morgan to safety before he lost too much blood.

The tactician felt herself stiffen with resolve. She had just gotten her son, and there was no way in hell she was about to lose him. With a newfound surge of power, Una forced herself onto her feet and turned around to face the oncoming opponent.

She dropped her lance in relief when her two favorite boys popped out instead," Chrom! Inigo! I can't begin to tell you how happy I am," Una pointed at the unconscious boy, wasting no time and jumping to give orders," Chrom, I need you to get him onto my Pegasus. He's alive, b-but I don't know if-."

"Got it," The eighteen year old's felt her shoulders unwind when he scooped the boy up in his arms and gently placed him on the back of Winnie instead of argue. She made a mental note to thank him for pushing his inevitable lecture off once this all blew over," Lissa's on the field with Maribelle, but Libra or Brady might be nearby. You'll be able to spot them."

"Thanks. Hey Inigo," She held her arm out confidently, though her insides were screaming from how mortifying her preposition was about to be," Could you give me a hand?"

He grinned and strutted forward, wrapping his hands around her waist before giving her a boost onto her steed," Anything for you, my lady. I'm elated to see you're alright and beautiful as ever, if I may add."

She fondly flicked his forehead," Thank you, both of you," Una took Winnie's reigns in her hands and quickly stated," I'll explain everything later, I promise," With that said, she snapped the Pegasus into motion and took off towards the nearest healer. Her son's life was on the line, and there were many questions that still needed to be answered.

* * *

 **IT'S MORGAN IT'S MORGAN HE'S HERE IT'S MORGAN! So let's unpack this, shall we? Morgan does not look like Inigo, meaning that he cannot be the father. Who is the father then? As I said earlier, you guys are smart. You probably already know. If not, stick around to see! Writing Morgan has been interesting so far, but I'm still trying to nail what personality traits I want him to have. I like to give my different Avatars distinctive quirks (Una is a little grumpy and awkward, Robin is brainy and sarcastic, ect. ect.), and I take that and the father to combine the perfect Morgan. I already have one big thing in mind that will come up soon! Seriously, I'm super excited about it!** **Chrom and Inigo are making progress! It's slow progress, but it's progress! I don't think that Chrom has anything personal against him, it's just him being protective. You can see he's calmed down A LOT, but he's not quite there. Oh, and I heavily hinted at what's to come in the future towards the middle of the chapter. We all know that those weren't invisible warthogs, let's just say that. Review Time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **I know, right? Inigo and Una are such sweeties that only want to make each other feel better. Una is finally getting the family she wanted. Chrom's attention is definitely sibling-like and protective. He just cares so much! Olivia and Lon'qu are becoming two of my favorites to write, Lon'qu especially. His connection with both Una and Inigo is 10/10, and his stoic nature plays off well with theirs. Thank you for the review!**

 **Ocharlos:** **Haha, I get what you mean. I think his reaction was definitely crazy, but he was freaked out when Una was missing from the medical tent and found in Inigo's. Nothing about that situation looks good. The way I see it is that in this timeline, Chrom doesn't really know Inigo. He is one of the newest child units, and his reputation definitely precedes him. Much like Lon'qu in the beginning, he thought that Inigo was frivilous and didn't take anything seriously. This battle paved the way to prove him wrong. He calmed down in this chapter, though he's not 100% sold on our boy yet. I don't think there will be any need for a confrontation between our two boys, but I can definitely say that Inigo is going to step up very soon. He's gonna have a lot to deal with now that Una has a son. Thank you for the review!**

 **This is the first time I haven't had the next chapter fully written out for this story, so I'm still toying around with what I want to happen next. What I do know is that the next chapter will be dealing with the aftermath of this one, but what that entails is going to be a surprise! Little shoutout: I started another story (don't worry, this one takes priority) called _Incidental Matchmaker_ that is more in line with one of my previous works, _Shepherd's Song._ It's just a short little romp taking the characters into a modern setting, but I would love it if you guys checked it out! That one mainly deals with Chrobin instead of Unigo (does that ship name work? Should it be Ina? Unago? Something completely different? Leave suggestions in the comment box), so if that's more down your alley, feel free to give it a read. As always, thank you guys for reading and I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	15. Chapter 15

**Happy new chapter day! For some reason, finishing this chapter took longer than I anticipated. I actually wrote the last portion of it around midnight last night because I needed to watch the Tonys (yay Hadestown!). Anyway, let's do our traditional recap: Morgan fell out of the sky with no memories and was rescued by Una, who honestly should not have been fighting (but she did anyways cause she's a badass). Chrom and Inigo are taking steps towards understanding each other, but now Una has to try and figure out what to do about Morgan's potential father. Happy reading!**

* * *

Rumors swarmed the camp as soon as the battle was over and people got word that the boy who had fallen out of the sky was still alive. The adults seemed a little less shaken by the encounter, seeing that things couldn't get weirder than having future versions of your children come back to fight alongside you. Said kids, however, were more suspicious. The portals they arrived from appeared in a drastically different way, and judging by the new kid's screams as he fell, it seemed that he was taken into this world unwillingly. Libra took the boy into the healing tent urgently, taking almost an hour to reappear and report that he was okay.

If he was being honest with himself, Inigo didn't know what to make of the situation. Una was more persistent than usual with her rescue mission a few hours ago, and even though he knew it was silly to be jealous, the nagging voice in the back of his head wouldn't let his nerves settle. Numerous bad things had happened to his lady recently, and the last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt again.

Inigo decided to take his father up for a sparring match to clear his mind, despite the fact that they had just finished a fairly taxing battle. His body was beyond exhausted, but the anxious energy in his stomach kept him from mulling around. He needed to be doing something, and luckily for him, Lon'qu was always ready to train," Who do you think that boy is?" He asked as he lunged forward, pouting in frustration when his father dodged with ease.

Lon'qu took all of two seconds to weave under his son's sword and jut his wooden weapon into Inigo's gut, winning yet another match," Who cares. You need to focus."

"I am focusing," The two brunets faced off on each other once more with the same results, much to Inigo's chagrin," Just not on this fight, I suppose."

The swordsmaster remained stern," If this were a real sword, you'd be dead."

"What can I say?" He winked playfully," When you're in love, your mind wanders."

Inigo was prepared to deflect another one of his father's lessons and deflated slightly when said man grew silent. Did he say something wrong? This was almost always how their conversations went, and he never had a problem with it before.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity of eternal waiting, Lon'qu smirked," You don't even realize what you've said, do you?"

"What I said…?" Inigo stabbed his sword into the ground and tilted his head, wracking his brain for any indication of what he was referring to," What did I say?"

Lon'qu smug grin only grew at that," That you're in love with her."

All at once, it felt as if the world was pulled out from underneath his feet. Inigo's jaw dropped open, only to pop back shut after a few moments. Huh. He hadn't even known he said that aloud, but now that it was out there in the universe, his chest felt lighter. Was he in love with Una? This realization was unexpected to say the least, especially when the person he confessed it to was his stoic father," Oh."

The older man rolled his eyes and swiped Inigo's sword from his grip, throwing the set back with the other practice weapons before giving his son the signature pat on the back he had grown accustomed to," If you told her that, you wouldn't need to be worried about the other man."

0-0-0

"That's...a lot to take in."

Una nodded worriedly, watching her son try and process everything she had explained to him. Here she had thought things were bustling when she first woke up with amnesia, but he was thrown in the middle of another war that happened to have future children fighting alongside their parents. Hell, she would have thought she was going crazy if Chrom explained that to her," It's everything we know about the situation at this point."

Morgan brought his gaze down with furrowed eyebrows, his hands fiddling with the blanket on top of his lap. After returning to the village they had previously stopped at, Una and Brady rushed him to the nearest infirmary to rest while the army recouped from battle. She fought for them to stay the night, but Frederick was adamant that they were already far enough behind schedule to postpone the march. That gave her a very short window to adjust their newest recruit.

"The future I came from is in ruins…," He started slowly, trying to properly articulate his thoughts," You're sure about that?"

It was hard with Morgan being an amnesiac, but the fact that none of the other children seemed to recognize him kept her from confirming this," What do you mean?"

The gray haired boy shrugged, his eyes falling back onto the piece of cloth between his fingers," Oh, I dunno. I can't really remember much, but…I feel like I'd recognize at least _something_ other than you."

She quirked her head curiously, spinning his words over and over in her head. When she woke up, Una felt more lost than anything. Nothing was recognizable, but at the same time, it felt familiar. Morgan's implications heavily leaned towards something else entirely," You may hail from another future. Perhaps another timeline where we are not trapped in this godforsaken war," The purple haired girl squeezed his arm reassuringly," But for now, we're fighting to ensure that no one's future is lost. You're welcome to join us if you wish, but I understand if this is too overwhelming."

Morgan seemed aghast at the very thought," What?! No! I want to fight alongside you, even if it's dangerous," His burst of confidence faltered," I just don't know how much help I'll be when the only thing I can remember is you."

"We'll pull your memory back bit by bit if we have to," She tugged him closer so that he was in a half-hug of sorts," My past is still full of holes, but I'm getting along. And you will too, I promise."

He happily threw his arms around her waist," As long as you're with me, the rest will work itself out," With that said, the young tactician jumped onto his feet and pointed towards the sky," Now, come on. We've got a future that needs saving!"

Una felt her heart swell with pride at the sight. Despite his healing head injuries and confusion, he was still dedicated to the greater good," Heh, you really do take after me," She brushed herself off as she stood up and reached out her hand for him to grab. He visibly lit up at the silent offer and took it without a second thought.

When they exited the infirmary, the town was bustling with activity. A majority of the Shepherds were reloading their equipment back into one of their many carts, seeing that they weren't expecting another ambush for a plethora of miles. Una would have volunteered to help them, but right now, her main priority was getting some food into her son.

The pair entered the same tavern from earlier, with Una trying to avoid the barkeep's questioning stare. They had seen her in with Inigo earlier and were no doubt trying to make trouble where there was none.

Once they were seated with a bowl of soup in front of Morgan to intake, Una let her mind wander. How was she supposed to explain she had a future child to Inigo? She had no idea who the father was, and according to what she had picked up from the other future children, she never married. She was hoping that Inigo would change that prophesy, but Morgan unknowingly put a pin in that plan. She felt her focus shift to the boy in front of her and sighed; did he even know who his father was? He never brought up another parent, and part of her worried that he may have been the product of a one night stand another version of herself had. It worried her that that was the possibility she was hoping was true.

"You know, there is one other thing I remember."

Una blinked out of her internal monologue and raised her eyebrow," What's that?"

"I've always strived to become a great tactician like you," He started, oblivious to how his mother's ears turned pink in embarrassment," And even though this war is terrible, at least now I can learn from you firsthand."

"…Well, you're nothing if not optimistic," Una mumbled, unsure of whether or not to be worried. He was positive, that was for sure," Wherever or whenever you came from, I'm glad you made it here, Morgan."

Only one thought crossed her mind when he grinned; it looked familiar," Me too!"

0-0-0

Inigo had been helping load some crates into one of the wagons when a hand reached out and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, dragging him away by the back. It reminded him all too much of the morning prior," Woah, woah, woah! There is no need to be so forceful! I thought I-," He was cut off when his kidnapper spun him around, revealing themselves to be Una," Oh, sorry my love! I thought you were Chrom."

The purple haired girl snorted," Forceful? Maybe I should be worried about you two after all."

"As wonderful as our Captain is, you know I only have eyes for you," He cooed, wrapping his arms peacefully around her waist. It felt different now that he knew he was in love with Una; like a million butterflies were fluttering in his stomach, trying to force themselves out. The only thing that kept him from professing his feelings there and then was the worried look painting her features," You seem troubled. What burdens you?"

She slid her uninjured arm around his neck, though she was avoiding eye contact. The mercenary could feel her anxiously fidgeting her fingers together behind his head, the motion jittery enough to make his nerves from earlier sneak back," I need to tell you something important, and I don't know if you're going to like it."

On any other day, Inigo would have jumped back with a quick compliment and some banter. The only thing that stopped him was how dangerously her voice wavered," What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No, nothing like that," Una finally brought her gaze to his to reassure him," It's about that boy who fell from the sky."

Ah, so his suspicions were correct. She couldn't leave him now, could she? What did this boy have that he didn't? Inigo had poured his heart and soul into loving Una, and this was how she repaid him?

No, that was an overreaction and he knew it. Una had done nothing but protect him even before they confessed their feelings for each other. If anything, he was the one that was falling short. Was that why she had changed her mind? Inigo felt a frown tug at his lips.

Sensing that he wasn't going to respond, Una carefully pushed on," There's no easy way to say this, but I guess I'll have to rip the bandage off eventually," She was breaking up with him. The best month of his life was all over now, and he was going to die as an old sailor searching the seas for lost love," He is my son."

"I understand—I'm sorry?" Inigo felt that if his eyebrows jumped any higher, they'd pop off his head," Did you say _son_?"

He could feel her nervously tap the back of his neck," Yeah…He has amnesia, but he remembers me and has my old tactician coat. You know, the one I retired after Emmeryn died," Una pulled away rub her temples," I checked my trunk; it's still in there. It means that Morgan—that's his name, by the way—he has to be my son."

"O-Oh," The brunet responded by crossing his arms to hug himself. A son? That was not what he had expected at all. There was definitely no mention of a Morgan in his future, nor had any of the other children seemed to recognize him. Her argument about the coat was completely valid; someone as clever as Una wouldn't trust a stranger blindly like that. What threw him, however, was the question burning on his tongue," Who is his father?"  
"That's the thing; I don't know," The tactician held her chin in her fingers, and Inigo could practically see the cogs turning in her head. He didn't know why, but something about the fact that she was so inquisitive put him at ease. She hadn't said it out loud, but the tiny quirk in her eyebrow screamed that she wasn't giving in to destiny without a fight," It can't be anyone in the Shepherds; Morgan doesn't look or act like any of them. Do you think he could have been adopted?"

Inigo lowered himself on a tree trunk, still grappling with the fact that she had a son in the first place," It's a possibility, but I don't recall anyone bearing that name in the future. You said he recognized you?"

"Yeah, he practically jumped into my arms when he knew it was me. He seemed to try and play if off like he was okay by smiling, but I could tell he was troubled," The corners of her lip turned up fondly," You know, kind of like what you're doing now."

The brunet pouted, trying to ignore the fact that his heart skipped a beat," I do not play off my worries by smiling," Una shot him a look," Fine. Maybe I do. Are you suggesting that we're somehow related?"

The eighteen year old let out a small sigh, wandering closer until her free hand was sitting on Inigo's shoulder. He unconsciously leaned back into her touch, tipping his head up so that he could look into her deep, brown eyes," I don't think so. There's only two options from that, and I _really_ don't like the implications of one of them," She shuddered, earning a small laugh as a reward," I might also just be projecting what I really want to be true onto Morgan."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing…," Her hand slowly slid over so that it was cupping his cheek, her voice coming out almost bashful," I think he has your smile."

Inigo's face immediately burst into flames at the very suggestion. He wanted nothing more than to hide his face in his hands, but that meant shaking Una away, which was a crime in his mind. So he was forced to be still as a statue, stuttering incoherently as he tried to formulate a response. Even if she was joking, she knew how to cut right to his heart," Y-You do? But th-that's—that could never—how could I-?"

He felt his body relax at the sound of her giggles," What? It's just an observation. Let's look at the facts: Morgan is not from your future, no memories of his own, and out of everyone in camp, he looks the most like you," She gently spun him around and tilted her forehead down so that it was resting against his," I'm just saying, don't rule yourself out of the equation."

Inigo bit back a self-deprecating laugh. He appreciated the fact that Una wanted him to be the father more than anything, but he had to look at the facts she was ignoring; from what he remembered, Morgan had gray hair. His was dark brown. Inigo and Una weren't even married, so it was baffling to think they would have a kid. There was also the fact that he didn't remember his father. Inigo wanted nothing more than to stay by Una's side forever, and the fact of the matter was that Morgan's lack of memories was not a coincidence. If Inigo wasn't prevalent enough to stay in his mind, it meant that something bad had happened.

But alas, he wanted to put on a brave face for Una," Anything for you, my love."

He nearly shrank when her soft smile instantly dropped," You're doing that thing again."

"Wh-What thing?"

"The thing where you pretend everything is okay," He felt his breath taken away when she pressed a soft kiss on his cheek," You know it's going to be okay, don't you?"

"I…I…"

The two practically leapt apart when Nowi burst through the bushes, giving Inigo an out for his answer," There you guys are! Frederick sent me to find you. It's time to go!"

0-0-0

One look at Morgan, and Inigo was positive he wasn't adopted.

Inigo really wanted to hate the boy, he did. After all, this would be the baring omen of his relationship's failure. He expected to swagger up to some jerk-looking kid who was nothing but a bad attitude, but now that he thought about it, that was probably his subconscious thinking up an excuse to turn his nose. Una would never raise such a person, and he felt a little guilty for hoping so.

When Inigo and Una returned to camp and a chipper young teen bounded up, Inigo felt all his distrust dissipate into the air. For one thing, he looked _exactly_ like Una. They had the same honey brown eyes, the same button nose, and the same wrinkles on their foreheads. Hell, they were even the same height. The only difference in appearances seemed to be his sharper jawline, cheery smile, and of course, his mop of gray hair.

It only took about five minutes into the march for the same figure to rush up beside Una, tactician book in hand," Hey, I was reading this over and wanted to get your input about a strategy I've been thinking up!"

Inigo snuck a glance over his girlfriend's shoulder at the boy, a million nerves suddenly filling every crevice of his soul. This was Una's son, whether he liked it or not, and he needed to impress him if he wanted to be accepted into this new family of hers. He had just started to overcome the wall that was Chrom's approval, and now he needed to knock the socks off of Morgan.

He felt Una brighten up beside him," Sure! What do you want to know?"

"Well, I'm currently on the chapter about traps. I think that might come to my advantage if we take my size, or lack of size, into consideration. What do you think the best approach-," Morgan's excited chatter died off, his eyes suddenly laser focused on something new," Who are you holding hands with?"

Shoot! This was happening sooner than he thought! Inigo straightened up and placed his brightest smile on as his girlfriend introduced him," Morgan, this is Inigo. Inigo, this is Morgan," She squeezed his hand with a lovely grin of her own," Inigo and I are in a relationship."

Morgan jogged ahead of them a few paces and began walking backwards so that he could get a good read on the young man in front of him, practically bursting at the seams with enthusiasm," Hold on, are you my dad?!"

If Inigo's face turned any redder, they would have had to call a healer," Y-Your—You mean you're—you think that I'm—you think that Una and I had-."

"-aaand we're stopping there," She cut in, shooting her boyfriend a pointed look," I know this is going to be weird and I wasn't planning on springing it on you this way. Actually, I had an amazing scenario set up," Una grumbled low enough so that only Inigo could hear it before answering," Inigo is my beau, but he is not your father because he hails from the future like you."

The gray haired boy nodded slowly, his excitement morphing into confusion," But you two look the same age."

"That's what time travel does to you," Inigo replied cantily, shrinking once Morgan's stare was back on him. Gods, this was almost as bad as when he first approached Una. Was he going to be as tough of a nut to crack?

"…Well, that's cool!" The couple had to do a double-take to fully process the boy's bright response. It had taken at least some sort of explanation or hesitance when it came to other people accepting the young lovers, but Morgan seemed to be completely on board with the idea," Just one thing: Are you sure he's not my dad?"

The pair exchanged a confused look," Why do you ask?"

It was lightning quick, but Inigo swore to Naga that he saw something unreadable flash across Morgan's eyes. As soon as it was there, it was gone," It's a little weird that you're hitting on my mom when she's promised to someone else."

Here was the reaction he was expecting," We're dating. That's what she said. I'm allowed to hit on her. I'm the one she's promised to."

"Yeah, but not forever, right?" Morgan grimaced sheepishly," Will I disappear from existence if Mom never marries Dad?"

Una let out a small huff, her discomfort on the situation clear as the blue sky," You'll be fine, Morgan. If you were going to be erased from reality, you wouldn't be here right now."

Any wariness he held towards Inigo vanished the moment his mother spoke up," You're totally right! Wow, Mom, you're so smart! So this means that Inigo definitely is my dad."

"Maybe," Inigo stumbled over his own feet at her comment and would have said hello to the ground had not been for Una catching his arm and dragging him back," How about you and I try to find out together? Work on getting those memories back. Inigo can even help!"

"He can?!"

"I can?"

"You can," Una stated, sending him a look that screamed _you're going along with this or so help me_ ," You remembered me, after all. I think your brain just needs a little bit of jogging."

0-0-0

Dinner was quiet to say the least.

When the Shepherds finally stopped their march, they were about half a days walk from where Walhart and his army were sitting. It had taken nearly two weeks of endless traveling to get here, and now that they had finally arrived, the mortality of the situation was starting to sink in. Inigo knew that the Shepherds won the war; he distinctly remembered the hushed whispers in the Ferox hallways, grieving he death of Basilio and pitying the fact that they had essentially left one war just to walk into another. No, what shook him to his core was that traveling back had created a new timeline. Nobody was safe.

He didn't like contemplating the morality of his life and those around him. It was true that they were still in a war, but the soldiers and risen he had been facing up against were nothing compared to the nightmare of the future. Hordes after hordes of undead bodies rising right back up after slashing them down. The screams of his fallen comrades. The crumbling tombstones of his parents' graves. Fearing something like a simple human seemed incomparable a month ago.

As Inigo's gaze shifted from the untouched bowl of stew in front of him to the love of his life sitting to his left, the sudden reality of what they were to face tomorrow made him sick. Someone named "The Conqueror" was not to be taken lightly, even if his fate was sealed in their future. What if this was a timeline where they lost the war? They would be gone before they could even get the chance to stop Grima from awakening. He frowned as his stare intensified; even if they did win, at what cost would it be? He didn't want to fathom the idea that Una and his parents could disappear in a snap. The thought alone made him want to go running back to the future. Back where he couldn't lose anyone because they were already dead.

Una's half of the table was plastered with maps, pawns, books, quills, and ink. Her food was sitting haphazardly to the side, untouched from what he knew to be nerves. Inigo didn't need to ask to know she was dealing with similar emotions and handling them the same way he was; by pushing them aside. Her mind was not on the horrid details that their possible future held, instead replaying the memory of Emmeryn falling to her death over and over again. No lives could be lost this time; not on her watch.

Inigo pushed his stew away, his stomach too knotted to even fathom eating. Owain and Cynthia's conversation in front of him was muted out by his troubled thoughts, cleverly masked by a cheery disposition that felt entirely fake. Were they contemplating similar things as him, or were they confident in the future they wanted to secure? There was no way for him to be sure.

He was about ready to call it a night when something shifted in the air. The mercenary's eyes flickered from the pair in front of him to Morgan next to him, finally finding it's target when he caught how Una's quill had stilled in her hands. He tipped his head down slightly to catch a glimpse of her, only for her to turn away.

That's when he heard it.

"So if the kid isn't his, that means they're not going to last."

Despite the fact that Inigo was expecting this reaction, the sensation similar to a brick slamming into the back of his head didn't affect him any less. Una had introduced the rest of the army to Morgan once they stopped for the day, and the reception was about as mixed as it had been two days before. Chrom, though shocked himself, assigned night duties before another scene could form. They had gotten so far without hearing an ill rumor, and the fact that it was popping up now made him feel worse than before.

One of the soldiers gossiping behind him chuckled," Yeah. I didn't think they really had a chance anyway. We all know she's just been desperate for affection since the Exalt got married."

"If that's what she really wanted, she could have just come to me," The former soldier laughed," I'd show her a good time."

"Better than that kid," By this point, Inigo had checked out of the conversation at his table completely," He's just giving her the time of day because she's desperate. We all know he's still hooking up with other girls behind her back-."

The sudden movement of Una getting to her feet shook Inigo from his eavesdropping, a sick feeling pooling in his chest. She silently gathered her maps and books in her hands, the bowl at the corner abandoned to grow cold. The brunet reached out and gently took her arm, knowing that if he didn't act fast she would leave," Are you alright?"

Gods, she wouldn't even look at him anymore," I'm going to finish eating in my tent. I just…," Her voice shuddered slightly," I need to focus on the battle tomorrow."

She was lying through her teeth and they both knew it," But Una-."

The small smile she sent him shattered his heart," It's alright. I don't think anybody wants me here right now anyway."

Inigo got to his feet, helpless as she stumbled towards the exit with hands full of papers instead of food. This shouldn't have happened the way it did. It was unfair that she put all her heart and soul into protecting the army, and the minute she was happy, they turned on her. It was unfair that they took the joy from realizing she was a mother from her grasp. But most of all, it was unfair that she was taking all of the blame for it.

And with that final realization, something in Inigo snapped.

"Una, wait!" The seventeen year old's shout caused not only the girl to stop in her tracks, but the rest of the dining hall to fall into murmurs. Inigo blatantly ignored their reaction, remaining completely focused on Una and how she had been trying to hide the red rim around her eyes. This could have been prevented, and if they were going to die tomorrow, he would rather perish than let her last night be spent crying.

Inigo shoved his screaming shyness away as he marched onto the table, fully gaining the attention of the army," I am ashamed of all of you. We are at war, and you spend your time gossiping about the very woman who works tooth and nail to keep you alive? That is no way to treat a lady. So what if there is an age difference? What if she has a son? That should not matter to you," He scoffed out a nervous laugh," How many times must we say that for it to sink in? You've heard it from Una, you've heard it from Lissa, and now you're hearing it from me. What should matter is standing by the woman that you've called your friend for years."

The brunet shook his head, some miniscule part of him praying that the blush coating his cheeks would shake off with it," I will admit my fault in this situation. My stage fright has given me the excuse to allow Una to take all of your criticisms, and that is the worst crime of all. From now on, if you feel aggressive, take it out on me. I am the one that pursued Una, and I am the one that confessed to her. No more of this infidelity or grooming talk."

"And yes, you can brush off my words as the romantic sputters of an angry beau. I know many of you still consider me to be a philanderer; evidently, it will take more time than I thought for you to forgive my past behavior. Just know that I wouldn't be standing up here making a complete and utter fool of myself if I wasn't in love with Una," For a moment, the only sound in the room was of the tactician's papers dropping onto the ground," Now, if you may excuse me, I realize I have admitted something rather big rather publicly and should consult my lady about it immediately," He laughed sheepishly and began to get back down before stopping on the bench," Oh, and one last thing; The next time I hear someone speak ill of Una, I won't be so friendly."

The moment Inigo's feet touched the ground, he felt a pair of hands grip his collar lightly. Una was halfway through pulling him down before stopping, examining the area, and moving her grip so that it was secure within his hand. She didn't waste a second pulling him outside into the night air, away from the crowds she knew had been embarrassing him. He was honestly a little flattered that she considered that before confronting him.

Inigo was pretty sure he knew what was in store for him: They would go to either her tent or his, she would noncommittedly berate him for getting himself into trouble, she would probably skirt around his love confession, and they would retire for the night. Una had never been one to deal with emotions, and seeing how big their day was tomorrow, he was positive she'd want to push the heavier implications of his speech for a later date.

So you could imagine his surprise when she pulled him behind a tree, threw her good arm around his neck, and crashed her lips against his. He couldn't help the squeak that sprung from his throat, though the noise was quickly swallowed by Una's mouth. It took Inigo nearly five whole seconds to fully realize what was going on before closing his eyes and melting into her body. He brought one hand up to comb his fingers through her silky, purple hair, while the other hooked itself around her waist to pull her flush against him. She released a tiny sigh, the fingers free from her sling clutching the fabric of his shirt as if her life depended on it. There was nothing sweet or innocent about this; Inigo was pouring all of his nerves and all the feelings he had kept buried into this one kiss. He needed her to know that he loved her, that nothing terrified him more than her pain. She shivered as his hand slid down to the back of her thigh, his warm hands tickling her cool skin. It was barely there, but Inigo took this his sign to pull back," U-Una, I-."

"I love you too," She breathed, her forehead pressed against his," Gods, I love you so much."

For a split second, everything in the world stopped. The war, the rumors, hell, even the future seemed millions of miles away when he heard her utter those words. Was he dreaming? That seemed like the only explanation that someone as perfect as Una would harbor the same feelings for him that he did for her. He swallowed thickly," Say that again."

Her eyes fluttered open, the faintest of blushes tickling her cheeks," I love you, Inigo."

He didn't wait for her to initiate, this time capturing her lips in his. The tactician hummed blissfully as she deepened the kiss, nipping at his mouth for him to let her in. He moaned, giving her the opening that they so desperately needed. Una loved him. She said it, and she was more than proving she meant it. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips, his heart soaring when she giggled in return. Kissing her like this was something he hadn't known he needed until now; it felt like she had unburied a pocket of heated passion in his body. The only thing that mattered was the feeling of her lips pressed into his and her hand running through his hair. Gods, he could stay like this forever and die a happy man.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Inigo whined in protest, knowing exactly who the holder of the feminine voice was and what it was putting an end to. Una let out a small huff before pulling away, a smirk sneaking on her face as her beau unconsciously leaned down with her. She placed one of her fingers over his lips and bashfully pushed him away, her face growing darker with each second Lissa stared at them," Mmm, how about you tell us what you're doing here instead?"

"You're right. After all, I know _exactly_ what was going on between you two," Inigo tried with every fiber of his being not to show how much it disappointed him when Una pulled apart, knowing even then that the pout on his face was plain as day," Chrom wanted to make sure you both were okay after what happened at dinner. Be glad that I'm the one that found you and not him," Lissa sent the mercenary a pointed look," I think he would have killed you."

He held up his hands in defense, secretly praying to any god that would listen that Lissa just would go away," We're on better terms now. Didn't you notice that we fought together in today's battle? I was going to ask him out for tea."

The blonde made a face," Chrom doesn't like tea."

"He doesn't like-," Inigo flipped to face his girlfriend," How can you be friends with that man?"

Una merely patted his cheek," We appreciate the sentiment, but I think we're ready to turn in for the night—and not in the way you're thinking, thank you very much. You can tell Chrom to cancel the search party."

"Okay!" Lissa wiggled her eyebrows suggestively," I'll let you guys get back to what you were doing."

The pair watched as the princess faded into the night, waiting a full minute before turning back to face each other. Una's lips were slightly swollen and pink, and her hair was definitely a mess, but she had never looked more beautiful in Inigo's eyes. He gently held out his hand, and one of the first genuine smiles of that day popped onto his face when she took it," We can always count on Lissa to ruin a moment."

"That's what best friends are for," Una grinned coyly," Maybe next time we shouldn't do this sort of thing in public."

"That was your idea, not mine, darling."

She bumped into him mischievously," Careful buddy, or there won't be a next time."

"Playing hard to get, are we?" Inigo tutted as the couple began to long trek back to Una's tent," What is a man to do? Alas, I fear I may perish from grief before the battle has the chance to begin."

"Oh, you and your flowery talk," Una rolled her eyes, brining him back to the time he had initially approached her in the weapons tent. The only difference was that the grumpiness that seemed to cloud her social interactions was gone without a trace. Had he done that? Inigo's heart skipped a beat at the very idea," By the way, I wanted to thank you for standing up for me," He had to focus very hard on not tripping over his feet when she cutely tucked a strand of hair behind her ear," I know you don't like speaking in front of other people."

He peppered a sweet kiss onto her knuckles," Anything for you, Una."

Una was full of surprises tonight, because instead of pushing his flirtations away like usual, she faced him with shining eyes," I love you, Inigo."

"I love you too, Una."

* * *

 **THEY SAID I LOVE YOU TO EACH OTHER LIFE IS COMPLETE! So I hinted at this a little bit, but this chapter kind of surrounded how Una and Inigo would go further into their relationship with Morgan in the equation now. I introduced it with Inigo and Lon'qu (Who I realize is much more of a major player in this story than I initially thought), who play SO WELL off of each other now that they get along. With Morgan, I know exactly what his past is and what he's doing in this timeline. I'm planning on hiding tons of hints, so see what you guys can pick up! Anyways, we had Una explain the situation to Morgan, who is pretty positive he isn't from the same future as the rest of the kids. Una is pretty sure that Inigo is the father, but he really isn't. What do you guys think? And finally, Inigo made a huge step in their relationship today. First of all, he finally stood up for Una against the Shepherds! This is kind of a big deal because of his stage fright and his insistence on everyone liking him. That, and he said THAT HE LOVES HER. AND SHE LOVES HIM. Lissa just had to go and ruin their moment, lol. Review time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **Yes, you are completely right! Unfortunately, our characters are going to take much longer to come to that realization. And goodness, could you imagine how hard that would hit Chrom if he figured it out? He would never let Inigo out of his sight again. Thanks for the comment!**

 **The next chapter is going to be the final battle against Walhart. We've got Unigo action, Morgan's love interest is going to be introduced (Ahhhh I'm so excited for that to happen! I've hinted at it a little, but can you guys guess who it is?), and the war will be over! Will everyone get out unscathed? After that, we've got some Inigo/Morgan interactions that will destroy everyone. Who's excited? Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! Are you ready for the Valmese War to end? I sure am! This chapter is going to focus back in one the last two levels in Valm that take place in the Capital. That being said, the combat is not a big part in this perspective...oops? Don't worry, we'll get more of that later. This chapter is mostly about tying up some loose ends, commenting on current relationships, and a TON of foreshadowing. Let's see if you can all pick up on it! Happy reading!**

* * *

Standing in front of the Capital felt much different than the last time Una was faced against the end of a war. She remembered the sight of Emmeryn standing on top of the cliff as clear as day, feeling more confident than ever that they could save her. It was the first and last time she'd ever underestimate the enemy.

It proved to be a valuable lesson to take into this final battle, because the arena in front of them was completely void of any opponents. She felt Chrom approach to her left, no doubt dealing with similar thoughts," Where is his army?"

"No sign of them yet, milord," Frederick responded from behind them. He and Cordelia had scouted ahead and returned with the peculiar news, only fueling the two captains to arrive at the battlefield to see for themselves.

Una scanned the tall, stone walls surrounding the castle calculatingly. Could they be hiding inside there? There had to reinforcements of some sort; Walhart wasn't the type of person to accept defeat. Once the Shepherds were inside, he would probably want to close them in. That meant they needed a secure plan in order to push through the first wave of soldiers and into the capital," Hmm…"

"I don't like it," Flavia spoke up, her voice low. She was the only one who had gone up against Walhart firsthand, losing Basilio in the process of it. Whatever advice she had to give, Una was more than willing to take," They could be buying time."

Lissa, who had made an effort to be more present in strategic meetings since Emmeryn's death, frowned uneasily," Buying time for what?"

Una and Chrom exchanged a knowing look before turning in unison to face their comrades," Let's prepare for battle. It's going to be a long one."

0-0-0

While some of the unease he was dueling with the previous night had dissipated, a new wave of nerves hit Inigo when the order was given to suit up for battle. Una had been making rounds, assigning different groups their paths and partners. It was the most thorough he had ever seen her, and while he wished she would relax and have a cup of tea with him, he couldn't help the surge of pride that rushed through him whenever he caught her eye.

He was clicking his shield into place on his shoulder when a familiar voice caught his attention. Inigo glanced up from the crate he was seated on, surprised to see Owain and Noire chatting in the distance. The former's face was practically glowing, and it was only when the brunet caught the mini-cake in his hand that he put the pieces together," It's like a lightning bolt of flavor from a fluffy nimbus of perfect texture! Is this your mother's recipe? Because it tastes like magic!"

Noire blushed at the compliment, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear," Th-Thanks. I'd always wanted to try it, but...," She sighed," Well, we never had the ingredients."

"Ha! Tell me about it! I spent most of my time in the future eating bugs," Inigo's expression dropped at the sheer stupidity of Owain's reply. He could have said he ate pilse of rocks and would have been better. Was he not aware that Noire was notoriously afraid of insects? Maybe Inigo only knew that because he chased her off with one when they were kids, only to get chased back by one of her mother's curses. Ah, the good ole days," So what do you call this delicious morsel, anyway?"

The archer shrugged, her hands absentmindedly wrapping themselves around the string of her bow," I...I don't know. The recipe never mentioned a name."

Without warning, a huge beam burst onto Owain's face," Then I must give it one!"

"Er... You will?"

Inigo cringed. While their relationship had vastly improved since their initial meeting, he still felt embarrassed for Owain from time to time. He really had no idea how to talk to women, did he? The brunet sighed dramatically; it looked like he was going to have to pull his new friend aside and give him some pointers after the battle.

The white haired boy nodded confidently," Sure! If you don't know it, I doubt anybody does, so I may as well give it a new one!" Noire squeaked in surprise when Owain doubled over himself, a hand trembling over his face as he let out an inhuman yell. If it had been anyone else, medics would have no doubt been sent to see who had been murdered. Since it was Owain, the only attention he received was a noncommitted look from Libra and a chuckle from Gaius. Inigo wanted to hide from second-hand embarrassment," A harmonious clash of sweet and bitter rise up through a field of earthen brown...A single whole, when sliced, shows two tiers joined by icing, as two hearts by love... It's coming to me...Brace yourself! It's...coming...to...me...!" The young trickster shot to his feet and pointed straight up towards the sky," Behold! The Garden of Eternal Devotion!"

"That's…," Inigo nearly choked when he heard elated applause from Noire," That's beautiful, Owain! You're a poet! You just poemed!"

If seeing the purple haired woman react the way she did wasn't enough, Owain's complete drop of character for a moment grabbed Inigo's attention," I did? I mean, umm…Ha ha ha! Of course I did!"

Noire reached forward and grabbed one of Owain's hands with both of hers, a giddy smile gracing her normally skittish face," Oh, there are so many cakes I'd like to have you try! Um, so if I do...," She tightened her grip hesitantly on his palm," Will you name it again? L-like before? I mean, like a poem?"

The mercenary straightened when he caught the white haired boy's reaction. Was he…blushing? Oh, how the tables have turned! Here he thought that Owain had sworn of romance, but he wasn't pulling away from her gesture. If anything, he softened at it. Inigo was mentally prepared for a smooth line to come out, and knew he shouldn't have been shocked when the boy's voice cracked instead," S-sure, why not?!"

The archer giggled, giving his hand one last squeeze before running off to presumably gather up her supplies. Owain didn't move from his spot, instead opting to watch her fade into the crowd of bustling soldiers. It was only when she was out of sight that he brought his gaze down to his hand, his cheeks still as red as they had been when she was there. It was rather sweet, Inigo mused to himself.

He was about to get to his feet and confront the Trickster about it when a familiar shudder ran down his spine. Inigo snuck a peek behind him, only to find Morgan sitting on the ground directly at his heels. He sweat-dropped; how long had he been there? Una was nowhere to be found, which meant that Morgan had to be here for him. The boy made that abundantly clear with how intensely he had been staring at the mercenary," Er…Morgan? Is everything alright?"

He didn't even move," Just trying to jog some memories."

"…By glaring at me?"

"I'm not glaring, I'm staring with purpose!" Morgan whined, breaking his concentration to prove his point," I thought that if I looked at you long enough, I might be able to remember something," He sighed overdramatically," But it didn't work! I don't remember a thing. It's like...Have you ever stared at a word so long it kind of fell apart? And you think, _"Is that how that's spelled? Wait, is that even a real WORD_?!" Except here it's _"Is that what Father looked like, or is this a complete stranger?""_ Morgan pushed himself to his feet," Man, I don't know how mother does this."

Inigo couldn't help the amused smirk that spread across his face," What?"

"Be okay with not remembering stuff," He kicked his toe into the dirt," I hate not knowing everything."

Gods, Morgan and Una were more alike than either of them could ever know," Don't give up so soon! I'm sure your memories will come back in no time."

He perked up at the encouragement," You think? I tried to trigger some flashbacks earlier by banging my head against a post, but nothing came back. I mean, it made me dizzy and nauseated, but it didn't unearth any hidden memories," He rubbed his chin thoughtfully," What do you think, Inigo? Perhaps a stone wall would work better?"

Inigo mimicked his actions," Hmm, there is some merit to your idea. After all, it was the hit to your head that made you lose your memories in the first place. If we try and recreate the same scenario, maybe another hit will bring it back!"

"That's a great idea!"

" _That's a terrible idea_!" The two boys flipped around to find Una pinching the bridge of her nose," Mental note to self: Do not pair these two together in battle."

"My love!" Inigo brushed off what was no doubt an insult and pecked her cheek. He didn't want to bring it up to avoid upsetting her, but the sight of her arm out of its cast filled him with immense relief," You look as radiant as ever this fine morning! Dare I say, brighter than the sun itself!"

Una rolled her eyes fondly," It's nice to see you too, Inigo. You haven't run into any trouble today, have you?"

"Unless you count Morgan, then no," Said boy let out a small protest in the background," You?"

She shook her head with a small smile on her face," Nope, though I can't tell if that's because of your speech or their fear of the frontlines. Either way, I feel that I should thank you again," Una pressed a tiny kiss against his lips, giggling when his cheeks burst into flames," Oh, that reminds me. Chrom wanted to speak with you about something."

Inigo swallowed a frown, hoping that this wasn't about partnering again in battle. He had nothing against the man anymore, especially after the steps they seemed to make yesterday. He didn't even care if Chrom still didn't trust him. What mattered was protecting Una, and he couldn't very well do that if he was assigned to getting babysat by the Exalt.

Still, he managed a grin for Una," Oh ho, is he finally going to admit his true feelings for me?"

"I hope so, with all the work you've put in," The tactician theatrically placed the back of her hand over her forehead and sighed dreamily," Could you imagine? My boyfriend dating the Exalt of the Halidom? How romantic!"

"I blush at the very idea," He chuckled.

"…Uh, I'm confused," The couple were abruptly pulled back to reality when Morgan's brow dropped," Inigo likes the Exalt?"

Una frantically waved her hands while her boyfriend stuttered," No, nothing like that! It's an inside joke, that's all," She acted fast, linking her arm with Morgan's and carting him off," I just remembered that I need to introduce you to your partner in battle! I'll see you later, Inigo!"

The brunet chuckled as the pair practically ran into the distance. Something in his chest stung watching them go, almost as if it urged him to follow them. Would they mind? Una had already made it abundantly clear with all the hints she was dropping that she wanted Inigo to be Morgan's father, but did Morgan feel the same way? Hell, Inigo didn't even know if _he_ felt the same way yet.

Thankfully, a familiar head of blue hair gave him the perfect excuse to leave his questions unanswered," Chrom! A little birdie said you wished to speak with me."

The man nodded to Lucina, who hurried off with her younger sister in tow," Ah, Una found you. That's good," He glanced distractedly towards Say'ri and Flavia in the distance, making it evident that his mind was more frazzled than he let on. Inigo decided not to comment on it," It actually concerns today's battle."

"Right," The mercenary tried not to let his distress didn't show," Am I to assume we are partnering again this afternoon?"

"What? No," This seemed to pull Chrom's full attention to the boy in front of him," I don't know if she's asked you or not, but I feel that it will be best for the army if you pair with Una today."

Inigo's eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock. Just under 24 hours ago, Chrom had more than implied that he didn't trust him to protect his girlfriend in battle. The opponents yesterday had been troubling, but nothing that the Shepherds couldn't handle. Had he really done that much to impress him? He squeezed his hands into fists anxiously, hoping that his comedic smile hid his confusion," Ah, I see I have finally impressed you! Was it my quick tactical thinking or my stellar swordplay that won you over?"

Chrom crossed his arms," Neither, though I will admit you are a skilled soldier. It was your actions off the battlefield that stunned me," The blue haired man shifted so that his body was facing the army preparing in front of them, motioning for Inigo to do the same," Una and I are very close. Over the past couple of years, she's always been at my side. She is the most selfless person I have ever met, so seeing her upset has been troubling for me."

"I don't know if she's mentioned this to you or not, but she felt lost after the Plegian War ended. At first I thought it was because she had not yet recovered her memories, but I only learned a few weeks ago that it was because she was lonely. All of us were falling in love, and she must have felt so...so isolated," Chrom's voice dipped slightly," I must admit that is why I was initially hesitant of your relationship with her," Inigo grimaced at the memory; 'hesitant' was an understatement," I was worried that she was going to give her heart to the first philanderer that spoke sweetly towards her."

The brunet snorted," Believe me, it was not sweet words that won her over."

"I can see that now," He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly," She made it very clear how she felt about you. Even before I knew you were together, I could tell how much happier she was. I did not want her happiness to be short-lived. I hope you can understand that."

"You were being protective," Inigo stated airily," I wish you had not gone as far as you did, but there's no benefit in dwelling in the past."

Chrom smiled thankfully," The reason I wanted to fight alongside you was to gauge your actions without the presence of Una. You did not let me down, but I will admit I was still hesitant," He softened," Those hesitations vanished the moment you stood up for her against the army. _That_ was the act that won my approval, not your swordplay."

It felt as if an enormous weight was lifted off of his shoulders," You approve?"

The Exalt quirked his eyebrow playfully before taking his leave," Don't make me regret it."

He would leap for joy if not for the Shepherds surrounding them. He had been wrong about Chrom's obsession with the battlefield—hell, wrong about Chrom in general—and mistook his passion for anger. Who knew the man was such a softie underneath his Exalted ways? Part of him wanted to run off and tell Una, but a deeper voice in his head solidified that this was a moment that was only meant to be between the two of them. Gaining Chrom's approval kind of felt like-

Inigo reached into his pocket, a familiar metal band brushing his fingertips.

0-0-0

Yesterday, Una had been furious when Chrom banned her from fighting. She knew deep down that he was only doing so to protect her, but she hated standing to the side and being unable to help. She couldn't fathom why he thought that she couldn't support the army.

Now, as she looked at Morgan, she completely understood where the Exalt was coming from.

He couldn't be older than fifteen, and while that was only a year younger than she was when she first joined the Shepherds, she couldn't shake her anxieties away. If she could have it her way, she'd place Morgan on the back of her Pegasus and keep him from harm there. Unfortunately, they had never fought together before. Una had no idea what his skill level was, so the mere thought of throwing him into the front of the battle with her was out of the question. She needed Morgan to be a part of the defense until he was fully recovered from his head wound.

Most of the army was paired up by this point aside from a handful of the future children, and with Noire quickly attaching herself to Owain, she settled on one of the most powerful units," Nah? Can you come over here for a second?"

The young manakete perked up at the sound of her commander's voice and strode over," Is there something I can do for you, Una?"

"Actually, there is," She motioned to her son next to her," Have you met Morgan?"

Nah smiled demurely, bringing up one of her hands to fiddle with an olive green braid," Yeah, we met last night after dinner."

"Mhm," Una blinked at the unmanly squeak that sprung from next to her, using every fiber in her being not to let her jaw drop in shock when she caught Morgan's bright red face," It's nice to see you again, Nah."

Her head swiveled between the two, a million thoughts soaring through her head. Did he have a crush on Nah? How adorable! Una had to admit, she was a bit of a matchmaker, especially on the battlefield. She was responsible for at least half the relationships in the Shepherds, including her own. By placing Morgan and Nah together, she could nurture the seeds of romance into a blooming flower," That's wonderful, because you two will be fighting together in today's advance."

Morgan shot her a look that screamed _Mother, what are you doing?!_ She only sent him a faux confused stare in response, all the while imagining what Morgan and Nah's first date would be like.

0-0-0

The battle had started off fairly well considering how outnumbered the Shepherds initially were. It was unnerving to find Walhart himself prepared to lead the fray against them, but Chrom and Sumia were quick to square up against him. The encounter ended in the army's favor with Walhart's retreat, but the confrontation itself lead to a somewhat serious injury on Chrom's part. As soon as Una spotted him babying his side, she called the Shepherds over for an emergency meeting," Okay, so we got our reinforcements. That's good! We just have a little snag in our plan," She tipped her head towards her friend," Chrom cannot face Walhart in this shape."

"I'm fine," He managed to hiss out, earning a glare from his sister as she attempted to heal him," As soon as the elixr sets in, I'll be as good as new."

"No, you won't," Sumia crossed her arms sternly. She had been the only one present for the standoff, and the slight waver in her voice gave her fear away. It must have been much, much worse than Chrom was letting on," The Halidom cannot lose another Exalt."

He faltered," But-."

"Sumia's right," Una cut in," If you're not doing it for your country, do it for your family. They need you to survive," She ran her hand through her bangs,"…We need you to survive."

She knew that bringing his family into the equation was a dirty move, but the defeated sigh he offered was enough to let her know he had given in," Fine, but Walhart is not someone to be taken lightly. Whoever volunteers to take him on needs to be prepared for the worst."

Una spared Inigo a glance, who seemed to read her mind and merely shrugged in response. Going against Walhart couldn't be much more difficult than facing Gangrel, and she had done that when she was only 16 years old. What she didn't feel entirely comfortable with was going up against the enemy commander with Inigo's lack of experience compared to the other Shepherds. She would do it by herself, but there was no way in hell he would let her fight Walhart alone. If he was super opposed to the concept, he would have shown it-

"I'm going to do it," A deep voice interrupted her thoughts, dropping what felt like a weight in her stomach in the process. She turned her body to face none other than Lon'qu, whose stoic exterior seemed harder than ever before," I am going to be the one to look the man that murdered Basilio in the eye and avenge him."

Una felt her beau tense up beside her," Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Gods, she wanted nothing more than to refuse the man's proposal. Not only was Lon'qu a close friend of hers, but he was Inigo's father! If something ill happened to him, she would never forgive herself. She spared a glance to the son in question, her heart shriveling when she caught his eyes glossed over in fear. It was common knowledge that all of the Shepherds had died in the future, but Una only realized now that she never asked how. He was already born in this timeline, so there was a huge possibility that Lon'qu could lose his life against Walhart. Still, the resolute look in the Swordmaster's eyes proved that he was not going to budge," O-Okay. I trust you."

"If we speak of revenge, then I volunteer to strike down Excellus," Say'ri spoke up with a supportive nod from Tiki, who stood next to her. The two woman had been practically inseparable since they reunited, and Una briefly wondered if there was something more going on between them," Yen'fay will watch over me."

Una bobbed her head in agreement. The princess would be the best match against him, what with her quick swordmaster abilities. Add the fact that Tiki would be by her side and the plan was full-proof," Alright. As for the rest of you, keep your positions from the earlier skirmish. According to the scout, the ceilings in the building should be tall enough for pegasuses to maneuver in. Use that benefit to your advantage, ladies," Sumia, Cordelia, and Cynthia nodded," This is going to be our final battle. Good luck to you all."

0-0-0

It appeared that steering her Pegasus inside the building was more difficult than she imagined it being. Winnie was being a good sport about the enclosed fighting area, but being so close to ground level mages was taking an obvious toll on her. Inigo, on the other hand, was thriving; he was able to hop between the floor and her steed, taking the faster units down before they knew what was going on. All the while, he toyed with the soldiers by joking around. She hadn't fully noticed his light-hearted manner in battle before, and if they weren't in the middle of ending a war, Una would admit it was pretty attractive.

She reached down and caught his hand just as he struck an oncoming threat, helping hoist him back up on Winnie," All safe now," He chirped, giving her waist a thankful squeeze. He did a quick scan of the area, allowing his jovial nature to slip for a millisecond," Have you seen my parents yet?"

Una shook her head guiltily, her heart squeezing in pain with every second his face fell. There was no doubt in her mind that the reason he was fighting harder than usual today was due to the looming threat Lon'qu and Olivia were facing just a few rooms ahead of them. She had planned to follow closely behind just in case they needed backup, but the two pairs were separated almost immediately after they entered the building. Both tactician and mercenary were on edge.

She allowed a red blob in the distance to distract her from the matter at hand, confusion instantly replacing her unease," Hold on—it can't be."

Inigo followed her line of sight and rose his eyebrow," Cervantes? The mustache man? I thought we dealt with him weeks ago," His signature grin streaked back across his face," Persistent fellow, isn't he?"

"Should we stop by and say hi?"

"Of course," The brunet nudged her playfully," I'm sure he misses us."

She pulled on the reins, motioning for Winnie to make her approach. Cervantes was much more persistent than he had been at the Mila tree, swiping away at any competitor that came within five feet of him. His proud mustache was more frayed than usual, and his cocky demeanor had definitely faltered," Cervantes!" Una pulled out her shock stick and pointed it at the man," This is your last chance to surrender."

"Surrender? Bah!" He brought his giant axe up so that it rested on his shoulder," The only one who should be asking such is you."

Una narrowed her eyes. He knew that he was going to lose, she could see it in the twitch of his mustache. Would he rather die for a hapless cause than face the consequences of his actions? He was either truly despicable or an idiot," So be it."

Cervantes only waved her closer," Let's have it then, rebellious scum! Like a flimsy belt around the waist of defeat, you shall buckle here!"

Una and Inigo shared an unimpressed look before swooping down for the attack. He dodged her initial jab, swinging his axe to catch Inigo in the back. He parried it with his sword, holding off the advance until he man gave up and pushed himself away. Una used this as her opening, whipping out her Thoron tomb and aiming a bolt of lightning at the man," Checkmate."

The magic shot forward with enough force to knock the general off his feet. His entire body writhed in pain, tiny shocks sparking up and down his metal armor," I…am finished…Nngh," He managed to push himself up enough to look the duo in the eyes, his irises dark," I die in the shadow of…greatness…"

With that, his eyelids fluttered shut and he collapsed back onto the ground. Una couldn't help but feel more unnerved than usual at his reaction to his own death, uttering a soft," That's it," before turning to survey the rest of the castle. Say'ri and Tiki had taken Excellus out with ease, and many of the reinforcements were dwindling down. It looked as if the war was going to be in their favor after all.

Inigo stirred behind her, his stare set on the throne room ahead of them," Do you think…?"

"It's quiet," She replied softly, nerves churning in her stomach once more," Should we check it out?"

Before the mercenary could answer, the familiar sound of hooves behind them halted their action. Una greeted Frederick with a cordial nod, please to find Chrom, Sumia, and Lucina in the rear," Walhart's soldiers have agreed to cease hostilities."

Una felt as if the air had been taken from her lungs," Does that mean-?"

"Yes, Lon'qu was successful in his pursual," Frederick affirmed. The tactician hardly had time to react herself before Inigo collapsed into her back, his grip tight on the fabric of her dress. She reached down gently to cup his hands in hers, hoping that the others could not tell hear him softly sob tears of relief into her uniform. Had he really been this worried? Una felt a wave of shame rush over her for overlooking Inigo's confliction on the matter. He was always so good at reading her when she was troubled, but she had been too focused on her job to see it in him. She bit her lip deferentially. They would have to reunite with Lon'qu and Olivia as soon as possible after their Captain gave them the OK," Shall we inform the rest of the Shepherds?"

Chrom breathed out a small," Finally," Before assenting," Pull our men back immediately. This war has been long and hard, and they deserve to rest."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Inigo darted away in search of his parents. Una hopped off Winnie herself, but decided to stick around for a little longer. As much as she wanted to be by his side, her duties as tactician would take precedence for just a little longer. After making sure her husband was safe, Sumia followed shortly after to find Lissa for a more in depth check-up. It appeared that Lucina's worries about her father's future had hit the Pegasus knight harder than she let on.

The blue haired man's gaze followed his wife out the door, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion as soon as she was out of the building," It's strange. Walhart and my sister were complete opposites. One gave her life to stop a war, the other took lives to create one. And yet they both inspired those around them; both walked a path to end all war," He ruffled his hair," Both lived, and died, trying to unite the people."

Lucina placed a tentative hand on his shoulder, careful not to irritate his injury," Yes, father, but as they say, the method is the message. Your father suffered from beliefs similar to Walhart, and his legacy is plain to see…"

He pressed his lips in a thin line and shook his head," Mmm…these are matters too weighty for this moment. There will be plenty of time for reflection now that the war is done."

"We should meet with Say'ri to discuss the best path of exit back to Ylisse," Una interjected. She empathized with how touchy the subject of Chrom's father was, seeing that Validar claimed to be her own. His discomfort with the subject that night all those years ago still felt fresh for the both of them," I can do it if you wish to rest."

The Exalt shot her a thankful smile," I'll join you. Lucina, why don't you celebrate with the others? You deserve it," His daughter bounced on her heels a couple of times before following her father's suggestion and taking out the door. It was easy to forget that Lucina was barely 16 years old with all the responsibilities she had taken on her shoulders, so seeing her with a skip in her step brought a small smile to Una's face. The other three headed in the opposite direction. Say'ri was waiting just outside the throne room, something held tightly in her hand," I see you're doing well."

She bowed her head in acknowledgement," Sir Chrom, a thousand thanks from every Valmese couldn't repay what you did for us," With that said, Say'ri revealed what she had been harboring in her hand," But I recovered Vert, the Gemstone that was stolen from Chon'sin as a trophy."

Chrom accepted the stone, allowing the smooth object to roll around the pad of his hand before glancing up hesitantly," You're giving it to me?"

"Of course, sir. It seems the fell dragon will soon threaten us all," For some reason, Una felt her heart drop at that. She hadn't really connected the war being over with the approach of another hazard. The realization that it was so close made her blood turn cold," I would feel safer knowing the Gemstone was in your hands."

He nodded in agreement, pocketing the precious treasure with a warm smile," Then so it will be. Thank you, Say'ri."

The group left the throne room at that, talking of plans to pack of their supplies and head to the nearest docks. Una meant to follow after them, but felt her feet glued to their spot on the floor. The war was over, and it should have been an immense relief.

So why did she feel like much worse was on the horizon?

0-0-0

"I don't understand why you had to be the one to go against him," Inigo glowered, watching his father get patched up on the infirmary cot. According to Olivia, the face off had been over almost as quickly as it started. There were a few cuts and bruises littering his arms, but for the most part, Lon'qu came out unscathed. It made Inigo feel silly for being so worried," I mean, I understand that whole situation about Uncle Basilio, but-."

"It's done," The Swordsmaster stated, giving a thankful nod to his wife as she finished wrapping his arm with gauze," Basilio can finally be at peace."

Olivia smiled, though the rims of her eyes were slightly red. It was no secret that the Kahn's death had deeply effected both his parents, but the extent of how it did was kept secret to most of the Shepherds. Inigo had an aching feeling that Basilio's passing had played a key role in mending the father-son relationship between himself and Lon'qu, so the poetic justice of the protégé defeating the murderer did have some merit. He just couldn't justify the risk for the outcome. Was this how his parents felt whenever he went into battle? Since when had he started thinking like an adult?!

Inigo blew a tuft of hair from his face," W-Well, it was dangerous nonetheless. Una and I would have happily gone in your place-."

"Another reason why I did it," The brunet startled at his father's confession, turning his glossy stare to face the man in surprise," I am going to protect my family, no matter the cost."

Damn, he could already feel his eyes pool over," Father…"

"You two have been through enough," Lon'qu grunted, sharing a brief glance with his wife," We agreed to this together."

His mother was in on it too? Inigo wiped haphazardly at his cheeks and puffed out his chest to at least give off the air he was offended," Why would you do that? We are very much capable of protecting ourselves."

Olivia stirred softly," I'm sorry, Inigo, but we didn't want you and Una to have to make that decision. We noticed how much of a toll the last two battles have taken on the pair of you, and like Lon'qu said, you're both our family."

Did she really mean that? He had mostly come to terms with the fact that his parents accepted him, but their willingness to include Una inside their unit filled him with an overwhelming emotion he couldn't quite place. He heaved a watery sigh, willing the tears away so that he could face his parents with the brightest smile he could produce," Th-Thank you."

* * *

 **Yay, the war is over! And with that, came SO MUCH FORESHADOWING. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Owain x Noire is probably my favorite future child pairing. Their chaotic energies feed off of each other so well, and their supports are surprisingly sweet! I know you guys have guesses to where this story is going, so how do you think Noire is going to fit into that? Speaking of fitting in, I also had to add a little Morgan x Nah in there as well! I never fully realized this before, but my Morgans differ as much as my Avatars do. With Robin (who I marry to Chrom), Morgan is a bundle of energy and positivity. Because of that, I usually pair him with Cynthia (If you haven't read their supports, please do! They're adorable). So for this non specified (though we all know who is father is) Morgan, it makes sense that he would be attracted to Nah. Morgan is pretty romantic in his supports with her, so it's pretty obvious who he would get that from. Yay, Chrom and Inigo finally made up! There's still some of that older-brother-protective-ness going on, but he approves! Then there was the final battle; I know that the game's dialogue is much more interesting if Chrom has the final battle with Walhart, but I REALLY wanted Lon'qu to be the one that killed him for Basilio. The game kind of brushes over the fact that Olivia and Lon'qu were super close to him, so I wanted to write in that closure. Speaking of those two, they are the best parents and the biggest Unago shippers (aside from maybe Lissa and Owain). Finally, I just liked the callback to Una and Inigo defeating Cervantes. He was their first opponent together, so I wanted him to be one of their last! Poetic Writing! Review Time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **Haha, yeah. If Inigo messes up, Chrom will definitely come back at him with a vengeance. And I am so glad you brought up Morgan, because you are completely on the right track! Something like that may or may not happen in the next chapter, so it looks like you read my mind! Thanks for the review!**

 **I'm really excited for the next chapter, because we are getting an all new perspective! Morgan's! He has been present for a little bit now, but we don't really know what's going on in his head...what do you guys think? I will say, he is aware of a lot more than he's letting on. You'll just have to wait and find out! Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello everyone! This chapter is super exciting, because it is entirely in (drumroll please) Morgan's perspective! I've been waiting to do this for a while, because I want this story to stick around mainly with our little family unit we've got going (that means as soon as Soleil is introduced, she will also be getting a perspective). This chapter has a lot to unpack, so I'm really excited to see what you guys think. Happy reading!**

* * *

Morgan was doing fine.

Sure, the last week had started off with literally falling from the sky, losing his memory, jumping into the end of a war, and digging a pitfall that failed on his mother but worked on Inigo. And yes, now he was on a boat towards a completely different country with a bunch of people that were basically strangers amongst a girl he befriended who also happened to be a dragon. Things were fine. Normal even.

…okay, maybe they weren't.

This whole "forgetting everything about his past and waking up in a foreign land" thing was getting old pretty fast. His mother had been his rock the past couple of days, but despite her reassurances, he couldn't help but feel like a stranger in this world. Nothing big really stood out to Morgan, seeing that he couldn't really remember anything before reuniting with Una. It was the little things, like how when he bit into his bread that morning his mind distinctively thought that the butter tasted better than usual. Why was his brain prioritizing _that_ of all things? Why couldn't it remember something big, like _who his dad was_? He briefly brought his conundrum up to Laurent, but the boy went off on a word jumbled tangent and didn't notice when Morgan slipped out of the room.

He thanked whatever god that she prayed to that Nah was there. She seemed to be one of the only ones that didn't look at him like he was an anomaly, though he knew now that was probably because she could turn into a dragon. Things can't get much weirder than that. Nah was the one that initially pulled him aside and explained the entire situation between Una and Inigo to him; how Inigo was actually to son of other Shepherds, and a good chunk of the army didn't understand their relationship. It clarified the borderline disgusted stares some of the shepherds sent him, which was a huge relief. Up until then, he assumed it was because he was a complete social disaster and everyone could sense it.

He swung his legs back and forth as it sat on the railing of their ship, watching as the Pegasus Riders took their steeds out for a stretch. There had been no retrieval of memories today, so he settled on distracting himself with what little entertainment he could find. It was pretty interesting to see how differently each woman's approach was; Cordelia was the most comfortable up there, but her stance was obviously one of professionalism. Sumia was just as skilled, but the lack of tension proved she was more relaxed. Flying seemed to come naturally to the clumsy woman. His mom was flying circles around the two girls, mostly to rid Winnie of her boundless energy. And, humorously, Cynthia's Pegasus kicked her off.

The blue haired princess groaned as she pushed herself off the deck, watching her mare bounce around in the air with a pout on her face," Aww, come on! Come back down!"

Morgan rose his eyebrow in amusement," Is Avel giving you a hard time?"

"…Avel?" Cynthia tipped her head," Oh, you must have mistaken Posey for another Pegasus! I always forget that you haven't been around us that long," She continued to chatter on, oblivious to the fact that Morgan had zoned out again. Posey? He was sure its name was Avel. Positive, in fact…too positive for it to be a simple mistake.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. If he never met Posey before, it meant that he had previously met a Pegasus named Avel. Morgan pulled out the tiny notebook Una suggested her carry around if he remembered anything else and jotted the name down, slightly discouraged by how small the list was. Oh well. At least there was something.

"Uh, Morgan?" He snapped the book shut and smiled sheepishly at the princess in front of him," What are you doing?" Before he could answer, she covered her mouth in horror," Oh no, you wrote down how clumsy I was, didn't you? Everyone will make fun of me! You can't do that! You can't, you can't, you can't-."

The budding tactician shook his hands," Calm down, that's not what I did at all! Everyone already knows how clumsy you are!"

Cynthia stared at him for a full minute before spinning on her heel and bursting away wailing.

0-0-0

Another couple of days had gone by without any new epiphanies. He had been researching books concerning the different kinds of butter and horses named Avel, but the only thing that gave him was an equally concerned and confused mother. The fact that he couldn't remember anything was practically tearing him apart. Add on his inability to figure out what butter and Avel meant to him and Morgan was ready to jump off the boat.

He would have probably to if a soft voice hadn't caught his attention," Oh great and wise Naga..."

Morgan leaned against the doorway, his eyes trained on the green haired girl in front of him. When he initially found her in this position, he jumped to the conclusion that she was dying. Turns out she was just praying. She didn't seem to mind his intrusion back then, and her guidance the past couple of days had been a huge help to him.

He didn't strain his ears to listen in on her private talk with Naga, instead focusing on her body language. Her shoulders were more slumped than usual, and the way she sighed out her last couple of words couldn't have meant anything good,"...That should do it," The gray haired boy immediately straightened up when Nah got to her feet and practically ran into him. She jumped back just as she was about to make contact, her irises wide with surprise," Oh! Hello, Morgan. I didn't see you there!"

"Hey there!" He gave a slight wave, hoping that he hadn't come off as creepy as he thought," Any responses from Naga today?"

"Yes, but not exactly the revelation I was hoping for," Nah began to trail out the door, motioning for him to follow her. Morgan leapt at the chance, earning a giggle from her in return," She asked me for more offerings!"

The tactician furrowed his eyebrows. Why would this Naga character ask Nah for a gift? Didn't she understand they were in the middle of an ocean? Unless she wanted fish, she was going to be out of luck," Oh? Hey, what do you offer a jealous god, anyway?"

She bristled at his blunt accusation," Naga is not a jealous god!" The two emerged from the lower deck into the daylight. Despite his crankiness earlier, Morgan felt himself brighten as he basked in the warmth. He didn't know why, but he always found he enjoyed the sun,"...And if you must know," He flickered his head back to Nah, suddenly remembering he was in a conversation," I was told to bring a flower."

…In the middle of the ocean? Morgan swallowed a choked laugh to spare Nah's feelings," Oh? Any particular kind?"

"Naga's bell. It blooms once every 200 years, and only beneath a full moon," She lowered herself to sit on one of the stairs and dropped her chin in her hand,"...That's what the legends say, at least. I've never seen one for myself. They only grow in remote, craggy terrain far removed from human settlement."

"Wow. That's a pretty tall order. Very specific, too."

Nah watched as her new friend plopped down next to her," It's supposed to be near impossible to find. I'm afraid Naga's given me a doozy this time...," She shrugged," But you can't exactly ignore a direct request from a deity, right?"

Morgan wanted to nod in agreement, but was suddenly caught by the way her purple irises lit up in the sun. It reminded him of one of the jewels Flavia showed off after raiding Walhart's personal treasury; she said it was a rare amethyst, and that nothing could compare to its beauty. Obviously Flavia had never seen Nah's eyes.

Wait, were Nah's eyes beautiful? The thought alone made his stomach do a flip flop.

"Uh, Morgan?"

"Hmm…?"

"You're staring."

"I'm…," Morgan blinked a few times, mortification filling him more and more with each passing second. Darn it, he knew he was being creepy! Inigo hadn't said anything when he observed him for half an hour earlier that week, and his mother never seemed to mind when he watched her reading. Usually he did it to get a good idea of how people acted, but now he was definitely just being weird. Morgan coughed, scrambling to change the discussion fast," Say, do you want help looking for it?"

The proposition not only did the trick, but lit up her face as well," That would be great, Morgan. But at the moment...I don't even know where to start looking when we get back to shore. Give me a little time to come up with an idea, all right?"

"Hey, yeah! And I'll find some dusty old tomes to read. I know there's not a lot of options here on the boat, but mother and Miriel have this whole collection that I've been dying to get my hands on…," His voice trailed off, his excitement fading into curiosity as the tickling feeling returned to his brain. Was he remembering something? Morgan's gaze skirted past Nah's shoulder and fell on a head of red hair that was not only interesting; it was _familiar_ ,"...Just in case."

The manakete noticed his change in mood and turned around to follow his focus," What are you looking at? Gaius?"

"Gaius?" The name felt weird coming from his mouth, but his mind had never been wrong before," Is he close with mom?"

"I think they're friends," Nah whipped her head back, her braids zipping right with her," Do you think you remember something?"

Morgan managed a small nod, watching as the man retreated towards the forecastle deck," Sorry Nah, but I gotta follow my gut!" He hopped to his feet and gave a sweet," I hope you find your flower soon!" Before trailing after the man.

He studied Gaius for most of the day from a distance, hoping that examining him long enough would jog any sort of memory or at least give him something to research. All he got out of it was watching him flirt with a blonde woman for an hour, pick-pocket something from a random soldier, and go through at least twenty hard candies. Morgan wrote it all down, even if everything the thief did was boring as hell. He was familiar, and Morgan couldn't deny that.

The budding tactician pulled everything he knew about following a target together for this mission, carefully trailing the man until the sun had set. He didn't seem to take notice, meandering from place to place until he finally ended up in the kitchen. It truthfully made him a little worried about the class Gaius chose if he had no idea a 15 year old was noting his every move.

Morgan was about to roll to hide into a cupboard when Gaius finally spoke up," Why've you been stalking me, Little Bubbles?"

"Stalking?!" The gray haired boy's jaw dropped. Had he really been aware this whole time? He thought he had been doing so well! It was a little unfair, if he was being completely honest. Then again, it did make him feel a little better about his initial thoughts on Gaius's choice of occupation," I wasn't—I just came down here for a snack."

The redhead rose his eyebrow," It's past midnight."

"…Yeah…"

Gaius gave the boy a look over before pulling two chairs out from underneath the table. He pushed one forward for Morgan to sit in and spun the other way around so he could straddle it. The tactician sat down cross-legged in his own, using this up close and personal opportunity to get a good look at the man; Green, narrow eyes, round face, and choppy bangs. He had a light scar right above his left cheekbone, with a bigger one peeking out from underneath his collar. Had he fought in the Plegian War? Morgan assumed that his laid back attitude equaled his level of experience, but was quickly learning that Gaius was not a book to be judged by its cover.

The thief chewed on his lollypop thoughtfully during their silence, giving Morgan the same treatment that the budding tactician was giving him. Once he deemed him nonthreatening, he bit down into the candy," So are you gonna answer my question?"

"…Have we met before?" Gaius rose his eyebrow, making Morgan question every decision he has ever made in his life," Maybe not. I don't know. You just—I just feel like-," His shoulders drooped in defeat," You're the first real lead I've had and I wanted it to go somewhere."

"Is this about your amnesia?" The boy nodded pitifully," That sucks. I can't say I've met the you of this timeline yet, Little Bubbles, but you could've met me from the future. You friends with Brady?"

Morgan brought his head up, wracking his brain for the name," Brady?"

"My son," To help illustrate his point, Gaius dragged his finger over his left eye," Has a scar right here. Looks pretty scary, but is actually as harmless as a butterfly," He chuckled at Morgan's blank expression," Guess not."

The gray haired boy frowned, trying to connect any pieces that might have brought him to Gaius. Was he friends with Brady? If so, why wasn't Brady the one he remembered? He doubted he would have spent a lot of quality time with his friend's dad. He brought up his next lead," Nah told me you and my mom are friends."

"Bubbles? Yeah, we've been through a lot together," He leaned in closer and playfully whispered," You know she used to have a crush on me when we were younger. She got over it pretty fast once Mr. Gynophobia entered the picture, but I like to hold it over her."

He couldn't help the next question that sprung from his lips," Could you be my dad?!"

"Your-?!" The redhead physically pulled back at the proposal, dropping the composure he obviously tried hard to keep up. The almost scared look in the man's eyes unknowingly made Morgan recoil in return. A good tactician never let his emotions get in the way of his strategies, but here he was, jumping straight to the point he hadn't even known he wanted himself. It was pathetic,"…Is that what this is about? You think I'm your old man?"

"…I don't know," Morgan brought his knees up so that he could hug them against his chest," I just thought that maybe…since you were the one I remembered…"

Gaius bobbed his head slowly, taking in all the information thrown at him. The few seconds following in silence were completely agonizing for Morgan, making him wish he never brought it up in the first place," Look, kid, I'm flattered that you think that. Really, any guy would be lucky to have you as their son," The gray haired boy loosened his grip on his knees scarcely," But look at us: There is literally nothing in common between me and you. Plus, Twinkles would have my manhood on a platter if that ever happened," Twinkles? That must have been that blonde lady he was talking to earlier. With all his research, Morgan had never considered Gaius was married," Do you know what you remember about me?"

He flicked his head up, the comment piquing his interest. Morgan hadn't really considered delving deeper into his consciousness, but now that he was thinking about it, there was a distinct taste on his tongue," I'm not really sure, but I think it has something to do with chocolate."

"…Yeah, that's probably me," To prove his point, the man pulled a small, wrapped candy out of his pocket and dropped it in Morgan's open hand," I bet I was an uncle or something to you. A lot of the future kids mention Una being their godmother, but I always figured that Chrom would be first pick if she ever popped out a kid."

It was definitely a statement, but the way he phrased it made it sound like a proposition," Yeah, maybe," Morgan carefully unwrapped the sweet, perking up when he found a tiny chocolate inside. Without a second thought, he threw it in his mouth. It was like his butter experience, but a thousand times better! He never really thought about what his favorite food was before this, but now he knew that it had to have been chocolate! The rush of joy that it brought him was incomparable," Thanks! I can't believe your dad hated these."

His chewing slowed at the lack of an immediate response," My…dad? My dad died a long time ago, Little Bubbles."

That…that couldn't be possible! They had a conversation about this! One of the first things they bonded over was…it was something to do with chocolate. Morgan scrunched his eyebrows together, trying to put together fuzzy shapes and vague sentences in his head.

 _"This tastes great! I've loved chocolate all my life, but I never knew that you guys had stuff just as good!"_

 _"Are you kidding? Nohrian chocolate is a lot more refined. You don't have a lot on us, but this stuff is really where it's at…My dad would kill me if he found out you gave me these."_

 _"Why? Not a fan of sweets?"_

 _"Yup."_

Morgan shot to his feet so fast that the chair knocked over," Sorry, Gaius, but I have to—I need to—Bye!" The gray haired boy tore it out of the kitchen, his feet pounding against the deck. He had just remembered something! It wasn't a clear picture in his head, but that was definitely his voice! The only question was, who was he talking to?

0-0-0

Another week had passed, and Morgan was bored.

He didn't care that they were only a few days from shore. It was hard to be trapped on a boat when half of your new memories had to do with that same boat. He couldn't even space out without imagining himself on the poopdeck! He had read through all of Una and Miriel's books, played chess with Virion six times, and followed Gaius around like a puppy for hours. It was all becoming a dull routine, and he needed change fast.

Whenever his mind wandered, Morgan found himself thinking about Nah and the stupid flower Naga wanted. At first he thought the source of his infatuation was the challenge of receiving the god's prize, but after unconsciously talking until sunrise with her during one of their night shifts, he realized his feelings were _much_ different. He knew he should have been elated at the epiphany, but honestly, it left him a little frustrated. How was he supposed to confess to a girl when he could barely keep up a normal conversation?

It was raining outside today, so the gray haired boy found himself in his mother and Inigo's cabin trying to jog some memories. He was sitting upside down in the armchair, his once eager stare fading into a lazy glean as he observed them. Una, per usual, was re-reading a tactic book. She would glance up every once and a while to make sure all of the blood hadn't gone to his head, occasionally commenting that he should stop doing that. Inigo was equally as bored as his beau's son, laying with his head in her lap. He slipped in and out of naps, sometimes pulling Una's book down slightly to take a peek. But when he was awake, Morgan noted, he spend a majority of time watching the faces his girlfriend made when she read.

Morgan wasn't really on board with the whole Inigo situation at first. It was weird that someone only a couple of years older than him was dating his mother, especially since there was no confirmation that they were going to get married in the future. The gray haired boy really wanted to meet his dad, and Inigo was putting a pin in that.

…But the more time he spent with the mercenary, the more he grew to like him. A lot of people gave him weird looks whenever they caught him staring, but for some reason, Inigo didn't comment much on it. He wasn't used to it, by any means, but he grew to act comfortable enough around the boy for them to sit together in complete silence. When they did speak, he had an infectious smile on his face. No matter what they were talking about, Inigo always listened and shot back a supportive response. It made him want to impress Inigo as much as his mom, which unfortunately only added to his guilt. By accepting him, Morgan was rejecting his potential father. As much as he hated it, he needed to keep Inigo at an arm's distance.

To avoid his confliction, Morgan let his mind wander away from them. What was Nah doing? Maybe she was spending time with her parents like he was with his. She could be praying to Naga again. Should he seek her out? No, that might come off as freaky. Morgan knew he had the tendency to come on strong, and scaring Nah away was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Morgan, I really think you should sit up," Una suggested without even looking up from her tome," You're making weird faces."

The gray haired boy heaved out a dramatic sigh before doing as he was told," I feel fine, mother. I'm just conflicted, that's all."

"Conflicted?" This seemed to pique Inigo's interest, because he was sitting up in a flash with a grin on his face," Let me guess: Lady trouble?"

"Inigo, Morgan doesn't have-."

"Yeah, I want to impress Nah."

"-Lady troub—What?!" Una slammed the book shut and practically threw it to the side, knocking over a cup of water in the process. It thankfully didn't smash when it hit the ground, but the liquid poured out onto the wood. Morgan pitied the poor soul that lived underneath them," I knew it! You should let me help!"

Morgan swallowed a lump in his throat, any drowsiness from his sheer boredom getting replaced by horror. What had he done? Yes, he adored his mother, but she was _not_ allowed to get involved in his love life. He needed to shut this down, and fast," But you're terrible at flirting."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to jump into the ocean from mortification. Una's previously excited expression switched to aggravated like a bolt of lightning, her brow furrowed in annoyance. Inigo, on the other hand, looked like he was using every ounce of his being to keep from bursting into laughter," Well," She slowly crossed her arms," That's untrue. I'll have you know that most of the couples that are together in this army are-," She scoffed," You know what? Nevermind. I'm not going to get overworked about this…What makes you think I'm bad at flirting?"

Inigo quirked his eyebrow in amusement at her sudden break," Are you admitting it?"

"You're not much better," Morgan squeaked, knowing fully well what grave he was digging. At least it was pulling attention away from his love life," I'm sorry, but you both get too embarrassed to make it past pleasantries."

"I'm _great_ a flirting!" Inigo whined, his pride obviously wounded," That's my thing! I cannot be awful at what I'm best at!"

Morgan scrunched his eyes in confusion,"…Flirting is not what your best at, Inigo."

Said man would have probably burst into tears if not for the giggle that pierced the air. Both boys turned back to find Una, sheepishly covering her lips," What? He's not wrong…"

Inigo's pout faded in a second, replaced with a cheeky smile," You could barely hug me without blushing when we first met. I apologize, my love, but you couldn't out-flirt me if you tried."

"Is that a challenge?" The budding tactician's gaze flickered between the couple, the competitive streak in both of them becoming very evident. Oh gods, what monster had he created? Una sat herself up so that she was sitting directly in front of the brunet, her eyes giving him a look over before speaking up again," First one to crack is the loser. Winner gets bragging rights for the day."

"That's it?" Inigo playfully tapped his lips," I propose the reward should be a kiss."

Una stared at him with a dead expression before stating," If that's what we're going with, we should just go ahead and make the loser be the winner's personal assistant for the entirety of tomorrow."

Morgan watched at the mercenary thought it over, wondering if the boy thought he had a chance. From what he had observed, Inigo got embarrassed way easier than his mother. Una got flustered every now and then, but she recovered quickly. Inigo must be confident in his abilities to be even considering this.

"Deal," The gray haired boy bit back a smile as the couple in front of him shook hands, his morbid curiosity getting the best of him. Sure, he wasn't quite Team Inigo, but this should at least be entertaining.

The pair looked each other over, taking this challenge far too seriously right off the bat. Not to anyone's surprise, Inigo was the one to speak first," My darling, if you were a tear drop, I would never cry in fear of losing you."

"Inigo, you cry all the time," Una replied before catching herself, remembering that being blunt wasn't going to win the challenge. She gently reached forward to cup one of his cheeks, the corners of her lips tipping up slightly," Have I ever told you how much I love your smile? It makes me feel like I'm home."

A small noise squeaked from the back of his throat, his cheeks turning a soft pink at her words," Una, your smile is the one I have been searching for my entire life. I have spoken with many ladies," Her brow dropped at that," None of them important, of course. How could they ever compare with a smile as lovely as yours?"

Morgan snorted," You're losing, Inigo."

"I am not!" He broke character for a second, jumping back into his flirtatious persona before the gray haired boy could blink," You're so cute, Una. When I win this game of ours, I must insist you wear a cute maids outfit."

"That's funny," For some reason, the thing she turned pink at was him referring to her by name," I was thinking the exact same thing. Though I don't think we could find one to fit you," She leaned over, her fingers running over his left bicep," You are so strong, after all. One move and the sleeves would burst."

Inigo's cheeks darkened, but he held onto his composure like it was the last dessert after dinner," I can see right through your act, Una. You'll have to try harder than that."

This time, she was the one to pout as she absently drew circles on his muscle," What makes you say that, _love_? You must be speaking of yourself."

"Perhaps you are right. The only thing I can do now is speak from my heart," Without warning, Inigo scooped her free hand up and pressed a delicate kiss against her knuckles," Una, I am deeply and madly in love with you. I knew that returning to the past would be a luxury, but I never knew that the real bliss I would receive would be sharing my days with you. You are beautiful beyond compare, but the things I truly love about you are your caring spirit and your wit. Una, you are the perfect woman, and I…I think I want to-."

Una abruptly cut him off by cupping his face and kissing him, her face as red as Sully's hair. Inigo immediately changed into the same color, almost moving to lean into the act when his eyes landed on Morgan's grimace. Without a second thought, Inigo yanked himself away and shrieked," Not in front of your son!"

"You cracked!" The purple haired girl squealed, hopping up and down and the bed," You're the loser! I win! I am the superior flirt-er! Call me the Romance Queen from now on!"

Inigo grumbled, wiping his lips in embarrassment," You cheated."

"Kissing isn't against the rules," She sang, reaching forward so that she was gripping his chin," I hope you're ready to be my slave."

Morgan didn't think it was possible for the mercenary's face to burn any brighter," U-Una! Don't phrase it like that! Your son is going to get the wrong idea."

"Oops!" Her ears dusted a light pink," Sorry, Morgan."

0-0-0

With the storm clouds gone and the revelation that they were a day ahead of schedule, the Shepherds were in the mood for celebrating. The lack of a formal party to celebrate the end of the Valmese War was evident, and people were practically bursting at the seams with excitement. Lissa and Maribelle took it upon themselves to decorate the ship with whatever colored paper they could find, Sumia and Gaius offered to cook up a nice meal, and Brady was ready to pull out his violin. Eventually other soldiers brought their own instruments in, and the party was fully swinging.

Morgan had been enjoying the night, thanking any god that would listen that something interesting finally was taking place on the dreaded boat. The cake he helped make was chocolate, which meant it was delicious. He had even managed to break out of his shell a little to talk to Yarne and Brady. Things were shaping up until something in the air shifted, filling Morgan from head to toe with the feeling of something familiar.

The gray haired boy got to his feet, tuning out Yarne's concerned question to face the band ahead of him. This song…he had heard it before. It was bouncy and fun, and while something screamed at him that it was a lute specific song, there was no denying the squeeze of his heart as he listened.

Then he saw the dancer.

The pink haired woman was weaving in and out of elaborate moves, the smile on her face infectious enough to bring energy to whoever was watching. Every move she made commanded the attention of the audience, none more than Morgan. As if in a daze, he walked through the crowd until he was almost directly behind Olivia. Gods, and he had thought the music was going to be the most memorable thing about tonight.

Morgan's fingers twitched as she continued dancing, his mind going a mile a minute. She was a professional; her performance was superb; she was working very hard. If all of that was true, why did he feel like what she was doing looked so easy?

His gaze remained trained on Olivia, but he began to hesitantly move his body alongside the woman. With every step he did, the next popped up in his mind: _drag your arm to the right. Now spin around yourself. Roll your hips. Show the audience a smile._ Dancing seemed as natural as breathing.

If his sudden epiphany wasn't freaky enough, the fact that Morgan was in complete unison with Olivia took the cake. The pair had gained themselves almost double the audience as before, everyone watching in awe as Una's son kept up with the most seasoned mover in the army. Morgan didn't really pay them any attention, his grin widening as the music picked up. _Remember to point your toe. Bop your shoulders. Left foot change, right foot change. Quarter turn._

Morgan decided to sneak another peek at Olivia, only to find that she had stopped dancing and was watching him in awe. Oh…he was definitely taking her spotlight. He had been so wrapped up in the music that he was carried away. The boy began to try and slip away, only to get dragged back onto the stage by the performer herself," I didn't know you could dance! You're very good!"

"I didn't know either!" He yelled back over the melody, his eyes twinkling with excitement," I didn't mean to interrupt, but-."

"Oh, you're not!" The pink haired woman beamed," Let's finish up this number!"

That was all the invitation Morgan needed, because the two were back to their show less than a second later. His subdued nature evaporated under the hazy lights on the ship, instead replaced with a confidence he didn't know he had. Dancing was not only something he was good at, but gods, it was something he enjoyed. _Step over your right foot. Kick your leg straight into the air. Let the audience know you are having fun. Now end with a big finish. Calypso leap and—you did it! And the crowd goes wild!_

Morgan smiled so wide he felt like his face was going to split as an applause broke loose. He felt Olivia's arms wrap around his torso and bring him into one of the tightest hugs he had ever received, her joyous giggles filling him with warmth," You did so well! We should dance together more often!"

"Y-Yeah, we should!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead to try and regain some composure," It was fantastic!"

The next song started with a good portion of the Shepherds coming onto the dancefloor to join the two stars of the night. Morgan relished his newfound ability, but it was about halfway through the next song that realization hit him like a tidal wave: The voice in his head, the one that had been telling him what moves to do next.

It was his dad.

* * *

 **Now that we're at the end, I hereby dub the "Foreshadowing: The Chapter (Narration by Morgan)". All of you familiar with Fates probably know where this is going and where Morgan is from now, so if you guessed it, what are your guys' predictions for the future? Did you notice all the Easter Eggs I placed in there? Some of them are much more important than others, but won't come into play until later. With that said, let's do a little recap! Originally I was going to have Cynthia end up with Morgan (That was my intention about a year ago when I began writing this story), but I decided that this Morgan's personality aligned much more with Nah. Speaking of Morgan's personality: He is an odd one. He is definitely the introvert of the family, mostly stemming from his insane shyness when he was little. I took the whole "Morgan stares at his dad to try and regain his memories" and ran with it! Overall, Morgan is more of an observer than an actor. I also didn't get the chance to talk about this in the last chapter, but both Morgan and Inigo (and eventually Soleil) all share one brain cell. I didn't want Morgan to never regain his memories because he lost his due to a knock to the head as opposed to magic. This builds up more and more until the end of the chapter, where he just pulled a dance out from his memories and performed alongside Olivia (this is the part I was so excited for, it's so cute! I can't wait to elaborate more on it in future chapters). Also, can I just say how much I adore Gaius? He is my tied favorite Fire Emblem character (alongside Inigo/Laslow), and writing for him is always a blast. His relationship with Morgan is something I didn't think of until writing this chapter, but boy, am I thrilled to delve deeper into it. Can you guys guess what their connection is? Review time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **OH MY GOD THAT WOULD BE HILARIOUS! I definitely think she could get used to calling Olivia mom, but she would definitely use the "dad" title to make Lon'qu uncomfortable (because of her former crush on him). They would definitely take a long time to warm up to it, haha. Personally, I cannot wait for Olivia to go on Mission: Inigo is the only male dancer in camp which means that Morgan is definitely his son. Thanks for the review!**

 **DavianThule19:** **Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far! And yes, matchmaker Una is ready to set up her son! She doesn't show it often, but she is a sucker for romance, haha. Thank you for the review!**

Tre: **Oh yeah, Tiki and Say'ri are totally a thing in this story. Unfortunately I will not get a chance to focus on them, but I ship them pretty hardcore. And thank you! I feel like the game story kind of lets Lon'qu's relationship with Basilio go after the initial meeting, and I wanted that poetic justice! Thank you for the review!**

 **Okay guys, I'm really excited for the next chapter because I literally wasn't planning it until I finished writing this: Remember Una and Inigo's little bet? Aren't you curious to see how that turns out? I already wrote three pages because I was so happy to write some fluff for our favorite couple. As always, I love to hear your guys' feedback! Any predictions? As I said earlier, there was a lot snuck in here, so I would love to see what you all think! Thanks for reading!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! You remember how last week, we were given a scene with a certain bet between Una and Inigo? Today, we're going to find out what happens! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you guys love reading it! As a short recap, Inigo lost a bet and now has to do whatever Una says for a day. The last chapter was entirely in Morgan's perspective, ending off with him realizing he has the ability to dance. That is something _very_ important. Why? You'll find out. Happy reading!**

* * *

The last time Una had been this excited was when Chrom showed her the Ylisstol Royal Library. She had never seen so many books before in her life, and she knew that she could spend the rest of her hours in there without running out of material. It took a full week for Lissa to step in and drag the tactician out of the room, all the while said girl was complaining that nothing in her life could bring her the same joy that newfound knowledge did.

Now, as Una mischievously looked down on Inigo's sleeping figure, she knew her past self had been wrong. She snuck into his and Owain's shared room early that morning, situating herself like a falcon perched over its prey. Biting back a giggle to keep from waking the blond, she poked Inigo's cheek," Hey, it's time to get up."

For a few moments, the boy didn't even move. Una was prepared to take the next step and pinch his chin when one of his eyelids flipped open, emitting a low grumble along with it," What?"

The purple haired girl snorted. As bright and smiley as Inigo was, it was no secret he was not a morning person. It made this whole situation ten times more entertaining," You have to feed Winnie."

The brunet stared at her for a whole five seconds before rolling over and snuggling deeper into his blankets," No thanks."

"Uh, uh, uh," She tutted, gently pulling his shoulder back so that he was facing her once more," You lost the game. You're my slave today, remember?"

"I…," Inigo groaned, realization slowly dawning on him," It's not even light out yet. Can't we do this later?"

"Inigo."

"…Fine."

A few minutes later, the pair were headed towards the stalls with a bag of horse feed in the mercenary's hands. Usually Una would be as sluggish as her boyfriend, but her sudden power over him gave her a rush. He was being a good sport so far, despite the fact that he seemed to be running on low fumes. She snuck a peek at him, only to find a pair of dark crescents underneath his eyes. Had he slept at all last night? They arrived at their destination before Una could ask.

He yawned as he filled Winnie's trough, his gaze flickering to the other Equidae. Stahl was in the same position as him as he fed the horses, but it looked like he was going to be the only Shepherd to keep them company," Are the other ladies going to feed their pegasuses?"

"Oh no, that's your job," Una replied chipperly," We take turns, and today is my turn. Which means, today is _your_ turn," The stare he sent her was so pathetic she nearly cracked," Inigo, we made a deal."

"I know, I know," He sighed," I am a man of my word, after all."

"Thank you, darling," She gently patted Winnie's snout, sporting an impish grin as she thought up another plan," However, you've been a little brash with how you've been responding. I think you should say something nicer than 'fine'," She tapped her chin thoughtfully, internally laughing her butt of as Inigo's eyebrows furrowed," I know! How about every time I ask you to do something, you say 'as you wish'?"

"That seems a bit-."

"Inigo."

He let out a tiny huff, patches of red sneaking onto his face," As you wish."

"Lovely," To sweeten the deal, she pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek. The brunet softened at this, despite his best efforts, giving her the leeway to continue on," I'll show you where Sumia keeps her Pegasus."

After their morning routine, Una took her boyfriend's hand and lead him back up to her room to keep her company while she read. This seemed to be much more up his alley. As soon as she was situated snugly in his lap, he burrowed his chin in the crook of her neck and followed along with her. She half expected him to fall asleep, surprise shaking her every time he squeezed her stomach to let her know he had finished the page.

Then again, he could be faking it. Una decided now was the perfect time for a test," What do you think about Myghell's proposed strategy?"

She could feel him blink against her cheek," I may be in the wrong, but I feel that he is relying too much on his generals to keep opposing enemies from invading their fort. It may be productive at first, but what if the opponent is a mage?" Inigo paused," Mages are effective against knights, aren't they?"

Una was glad he was situated behind her, because she was positive her face was as bright as a tomato. She refused to admit it, but hearing her boyfriend talk about tactics sort of turned her on," U-Uh huh."

"Oh, good," Thankfully, he appeared too tired to take notice of her change in behavior," You're so smart, you could defeat Myghell in a heartbeat."

She squeaked, unaccustomed to such a genuine compliment. Hearing him praise her beauty was something she had come to expect from Inigo, but she had no idea he paid attention to her work as a tactician. She figured that stuff like that went right over his head. Not only was he aware, but he thought she was good at it! If he had said something like that yesterday, she would have lost their game in a heartbeat," Th-Thank you."

"Flustered this morning, aren't we?"

Shit, he noticed. Una let out a small whine, turning her head to that her face was buried in his hair. There was no way she was letting him get the satisfaction of knowing she blushed," Don't tell anyone."

"As you wish," She shuddered when his warm breath brushed past her ear," But just so you know, this was going to be a little secret I kept all for myself," She felt her body tense as Inigo began to pepper light kisses down her neck," Something I can use for later."

Without warning, Una slammed the book shut and launched herself to her feet," Okay! I'm done reading, how about you? Let's go get some breakfast!" Her embarrassment was killing her, and the way he was looking at her didn't do anything to soothe her burning face," Come on, let's go! We've got a full day ahead of us."

Breakfast was pretty uneventful compared to the earlier events. Una asked if she could take one of his muffins, and he was contractually obligated to give it to her. Lissa gave her friend an odd glance during this exchange, but Una only shrugged to save Inigo the humiliation. Naga knows what horrors would be in store for Inigo if Lissa found out about their bet.

After their meal, it was Una's turn to wash the dishes. Which meant it was Inigo's turn to was the dishes. About halfway through his misery she joined in to help, her guilt too much to handle. This turned out to be a mistake, because her boyfriend was fully awake now and bombarding her with flirtatious remarks. Thankfully, none of them had been about that morning, but that did nothing to soothe her worries. He would definitely be bringing that up again once their deal was off.

Inigo had been drying his last dish when Chrom entered, giving him a small wave before turning to Una," Hey, are you available today? It looks like we're going to be coming up to shore within the next two days and I wanted to talk about finding the last gemstone."

"Oh, she's available," The purple haired girl sent Inigo a pointed look," What? Skipping something this important would be irresponsible."

"Yes, but you only live once," Una challenged," And I don't want to waste a single second of this day."

Chrom's eyes flickered between the two as the faced off, confusion clouding his features," Did Henry cast another body-switching hex? Usually Una would be the one adamant about a meeting and Inigo would be the one trying to get her out of it."

The couple continued their silent exchange before the mercenary whined in defeat," We made a bet yesterday, and Una won."

"Yup!" Said girl was much more enthusiastic about it in comparison," Inigo has to do whatever I say today. Just don't tell Lissa; I don't want to know what she'd do to him."

The blue haired man let out a small hiss, evidence of pain still on his face from the last time Lissa pulled a prank on him. She had managed to find one of Frederick's old "Chrom Wants You!" posters and asked Lucina to give it to him as a gift. The whole encounter was awkward to say the least," I see. Well, let me know what you decide. Inigo," The mercenary perked up," Godspeed."

"Godspeed?!" Inigo stuttered as the Exalt exited the kitchen," Surely you don't plan to kill me…right?" She only responded with a cheshire-cat smile that caused all the color to fade from his face," So where do you suggest we go next, my love?"

Una bounced on her heels," Well, Virion and I usually play a game of chess around this time. You can come and be my support!"

His shoulders slumped in disappointment. He loved Una, and spending time with her during the busy war was always a treat. That being said, Chess was probably the most boring game in the Halidom. The last time he tried to watch her match was before they were even a couple, and she just brushed him off whenever he tried to impress her. It meant that he was stuck fidgeting behind her for hours while they moved all of three pieces.

Inigo didn't even bother hiding the grimace on his face," Do you _really_ want me there? I'm not sure I could be much help."

"Of course I do," She fluttered her eyelashes sweetly, causing Inigo to second guess himself. Was she truly being earnest? He knew Una like the back of his hand, but sometimes her moods were hard to discern," I want you to cheat for me."

"…What?"

"Virion and I have been playing chess against each other for three years, and I have only won five matches. Five," He rose his eyebrow, prompting her to explain," He always sacrifices his pieces to protect his queen, while my strategy is to keep all the pieces on the board. It's unfair and I want to give him a taste of his own medicine," She rubbed her hands together menacingly," If he doesn't care about his pawns, I'm sure he won't notice if a few of them go missing."

Despite Virion being a fairly non-threatening man, the premise she was pitching him did not sit well in his stomach at all," You want me to steal his chess pieces while he's not looking?" Una nodded vigorously," Wouldn't you rather win fairly?"

"The war is over, I have no need to play it safe. Besides," She sauntered forward until she was directly in front of him and sang," That's not what you're supposed to say."

Inigo was beginning to regret every decision he had made in his life," As you wish."

Virion was thrilled to find Inigo joining them for their afternoon chess match, saying that having an audience would make the game much more entertaining. He talked their ear off about how talented Morgan was when he played as they set up the board, explaining that the boy was a risk taker," He certainly doesn't get that from you," He crooned at Una, earning an eyebrow raise in return," However, losing seems to be hereditary."

The purple haired girl planted herself opposite the archer," We'll see about that."

Inigo had situated himself on the floor by the board, his eyes level with the pieces in front of him. Una had prompted him by saying to snatch pawns when he wasn't looking or get creative. Seeing that he wasn't a tactical genius like his girlfriend, Inigo decided to try for the former. This turned out to be a more daunting task than he predicted, what with both players' stares glued to the board. Every time he so much as flinched, Virion would reach forward and make his move. There was no way he could have known what was going on, unless Inigo was easier to read than he thought.

He was planning on waiting for the right moment, but a small kick to his thigh alerted him that Una was getting impatient. He shot her a glower, but only received a small wave motion to encourage him in his task. She was lucky she was cute.

Inigo turned his attention back to the game, and without another second to make him nervous, reached forward and plucked a piece off the edge. The brunet held his breath in anticipation, his shoulders relaxing when the realization Virion hadn't noticed sank in. Maybe he was better at this than he thought. He sent Una and triumphant look this time, earning a small thumbs up underneath the table.

It took another ten or so minutes before Inigo wracked up the courage to make another move. This time, Virion was bragging enough to play as a cover," Oh ho, Una. Have I finally stumped your naïve mind?" The mercenary's hand snuck over the corner of the board," I see that panicked glean in your eyes. You are welcome to forfeit whenever you like."

At this point, Una had caught on to Inigo's plan and was keeping her face as nonchalant as possible," Just give me a few more minutes to come up with my next move. Unlike you, I think my strategies through."

"Ca c'est drole," He snickered, completely oblivious to a set of fingers delicately snatching a pawn off the table," Fine. Take all the time you need. Even if it takes you all-."

Una cut him off by pushing her rook forward to take out a knight," Your turn."

Another ten minutes rolled by at a snail's pace without Inigo stealing a piece. He was feeling pretty confident after his two successes, but there was no doubt Virion was starting to grow suspicious. His eyes kept flickering to his lost pieces on Una's side of the table, then back to the board. Inigo could barely breathe without the teal haired man shooting him a wary glance. All the while, Una kept taking out piece after piece without losing many pawns of her own. Virion was still holding his own, but the distraction of something amiss was taking him out.

It was only when Inigo rose his arm slightly that the archer probed," Are you stealing my pieces?"

"Wh-What? Who, me?" Said boy produced a fake laugh, all the while sending nervous glimpses at his girlfriend. She hadn't told him what to do if he was discovered, and they both knew he couldn't lie to save his life," I would never. I'm just…enjoying the sport! That's right! I love nothing more than watching…this game."

Virion crossed his arms," Bring them up."

"Bring what up?"

"The pieces," The Lord shot Una a look," Did you put him up to this?"

She lazily moved her bishop to take his other knight," Virion, that's cheating. The only immoral one here is you," The purple haired girl motioned towards him," By the way, it's your turn."

Inigo resisted the urge to drop his jaw. Was she pretending this whole thing wasn't her idea? Was this whole plot created just to embarrass him? One sharp look from Virion was the last straw, and the mercenary guiltily handed his pawns back," You're a scoundrel."

"Sorry…"

The archer placed the pieces back on the board, making sure to send a last glare to Inigo before shifting his queen to take out Una's bishop," No matter. I will not lose because of a little-."

Without warning, his opponent moved her rook forward and declared," Checkmate."

"Check-," His eyes widened in shock, seeing that her claim was correct," How did you—You planned this, didn't you? By stealing those two pawns, you were able to form a path to my King. That is low, even for you."

"Actually," Una started, trying hard not to let her excitement show through as she twirled her hair around her finger," I didn't care about your pawns. If I wanted someone to sneak your pieces away, I would have bribed Gaius," Inigo huffed in embarrassment," What you failed to notice was how distracted you got when my lovely assistant made his advance. You could barely keep your eyes off of him, so I knew there was no way you were paying attention to what _I_ was doing," She held her hand out proudly," Now, what were you saying about taking risks?"

Inigo groaned, leaning back until he was flat against the ground. Of course she had an ulterior motive. She had definitely bent the rules, but she wouldn't outright break them. She had been waiting for his pieces to be returned before making her final move. He just wished she had let him in on that tidbit in the beginning.

He remained in that position through the wrapping up and putting away of the game, giving a half-hearted goodbye wave to Virion as he exited the room. He barely processed Una crouching down next to him, giving his shoulder an affectionate nudge," Thanks for helping."

The brunet bit back the urge to say she didn't give him a choice," Anything for you, Love," He hummed as her hand trailed upwards to comb through his hair, instantly taking away the tenseness he hadn't noticed he'd been holding. She giggled at his response, her thumb stroking the spot just below his hairline," Already tuckered out?"

"Gerome and I had a little drinking game last night," He left out that Gerome insisted on not participating and somehow ended up winning anyway," It's no problem. Just a bit drowsy, that's all."

"Aww," Una got to her feet, offering both her hands to Inigo to help him up," Well, why don't you go and take a nap? Chrom did say he wanted that meeting today, and I'm sure that you wouldn't mind missing that."

He rose his eyebrow cautiously, silently praying that there was no double motive," Are you sure?"

She lightly bumped into him," That's an order, mister."

"As you wish," Inigo pressed a quick farewell kiss onto her temple before booking it out of the room. As much as he adored his girlfriend, this whole personal-assistant-for-a-day routine was growing tiresome. He needed to recuperate before she roped him into another scheme.

He was about halfway to him room when a light hand on his arm stopped him," Inigo, there you are! I've been searching for you all day."

"I apologize, mother," Inigo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as Olivia grinned obliviously at him," It's been an odd morning. What did you wish to talk to me about?"

"Morgan!" She chimed," I didn't know he was so talented! Did you teach him?"

…Morgan? Talented? Inigo wracked his brain for what his mother might have been referring to. The gray haired boy was fairly gifted with basic tactics and magic, but he hadn't really revealed any hobbies to the seventeen year old. He was pretty good at staring into space, but that wasn't something Inigo would consider a talent.

Olivia tilted her head, taking in her son's confused expression,"…Didn't you see him last night?" The brunet shook his head," Oh gosh, I should have asked first! I just assumed that you were at the party," It took all of a millisecond for Inigo to decide divulging his activities from the event would do nothing but make her uncomfortable, so he merely shrugged and hoped for the best," Let's sit down."

Inigo sent a longing glance towards his bedroom door before being carted away by his mother. He was surprised when they moved further below deck instead of into the sunlight, watching curiously as she sat him down on some crates in storage. She tittered about, seemingly trying to find the right words to say before plopping down in front of him," Morgan can dance."

Well, that wasn't what he was expecting," Morgan can dance?"

She nodded feverishly," Yes, and he's very good."

Inigo leaned back, trying to wrap his head around the fact that one of the most awkward boys he had ever met was somehow a good performer. Or, more likely, the fact that Una's offspring could move at all without tripping over themselves," How do you know this?"

"Last night at the party, the band began to play _Choice of a Chance_ and I danced alongside it. It was a number I performed a lot back in Regna Ferox, but I'm sure you already know that," Inigo bobbed his head numbly, the memory of his mother teaching him the dance when he was younger still clear as day in his mind," Anyway, Morgan just jumped in about halfway through."

"Was he doing his own improv?"

She shook her pink hair back and forth," No, he was doing the exact same routine as me. Like, the exact same! I was so shocked that I stopped, but he kept going! He knew it by heart!"

Suddenly, Inigo's head felt like it was spinning," When did you teach him that?"

"That's the thing," A jubilant smile graced her lips," I didn't. Only two people know that dance, so if I'm not the one who showed him…"

" _Well, for one thing…I think he has your smile."_

The brunet ran his hand through his hair, too shocked to even think about doing anything else. His mother had brought up a good point: A big part of Olivia's charm was that all her dances were original, which was why it was so important for Inigo to remember them. It was possible that Morgan could have seen them in an audience somewhere in Regna Ferox, but to have the moves perfected? Inigo wished he could have been there to see it for himself.

But there were bigger things at stake than Morgan's sudden ability to dance; Both Una and now Olivia had suggested that Morgan _could_ be his son. That…that was a lot to take in.

Inigo shook his head, deciding that he would have to see for himself before he jumped to any conclusion," Maybe you taught him in the future."

Olivia pursed her lips, making it overly evident that his conclusion was not the one she was hoping he'd make," Or…"

"It looks like you've got a fan," He pushed on, silently pleading that she would let the subject drop," Oh well. I promised Una I would take a nap, and I do not want to be on the opposing end of her wrath. You'll have to send Morgan to me to compare moves later," He pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek," Have a good afternoon, mother!"

If he thought he ran away from Una fast earlier, it was like he was getting chased down by a mob of risen when he hightailed it out from the storage room.

0-0-0

 _Una lead the Shepherds as they evacuated Plegia's capital, waving for them to pass her as she took the rear. Eventually she was met with Chrom at the end, who pushed her forward with his good arm to keep up with the rest of the army," Almost there! The exit is just-," He stumbled slightly, an unreadable expression clouding his features," Wait. Do you feel..."_

 _Without warning, Validar appeared and shot a burst of dark magic at the man. Chrom was knocked off his feet onto the ground, groaning as he tried to prop himself back up. Una was immediately at his side, looping her arm around his back to help him onto his feet. The two tried to push forward, only to get cut off by the same man," Run all you like—you can't escape fate. Don't you know that?" The man held his hand out smugly," The Fire Emblem. Give it freely, or it will be taken."_

 _The tactician bit her lip as the sound of oncoming footsteps approached not far from down the hall. They didn't have time for this! She fumbled for her Thoron tome as Chrom growled," Just try it!"_

" _Heh heh... I won't need to do anything...Una!"_

 _Una's fingers had just grazed the edge of her tome when a rush of blinding pain coursed through her. Her head pounded violently, making it so that she was barely aware when she stumbled backwards. What was going on?! She gritted her teeth as the corners of her vision began to fade into a murky purple," Nngh...Chrom, I don't—Ahh!"_

 _Chrom dove forward just in time to catch her from hitting the ground," Una? Are you okay?"_

 _The next words pierced through her skull," Seize the Emblem and bring it to me."_

" _Nngh, no, I...," It felt as if someone had tied a string to her spine and yanked her up to stand straight. Una desperately tried to move her arms, panic setting in when she realized she no longer had control over her body," Chrom…"_

 _Her fear doubled as her body began to hobble over, one foot at a time. Her friend could only watch in horror as she stumbled towards him, her face wracked with distraught,"...What are you...," His sentence was cut off when she lunged forward, pulled the Emblem from his grasp, and tossed it to Validar,"-doing?!"_

" _Well done, my child. At last, the Fire Emblem belongs to me. And with my Gemstone, it is complete!" She felt her body collapse onto the ground as his hold on her released, leaving her to watch helplessly as he began to disappear," Silly, Naïve Una. You thought you could beat me—beat your destiny. It's time you gave in to your true calling."_

Una shot awake, her heart beating a mile a minute. Slowly, but surely, her surrounding began to take shape in the darkness of her cabin; No soldiers, no Chrom, no Validar. It…It was just a dream. She shakily reached her arm forward, the feeling of her limb being controlled still engrained in her brain. Her hand dropped onto her sheet, gripping the fabric tightly to fully bring her back to reality.

…At least she hadn't cried this time.

The purple haired girl brought her knees to her chest, taking in all the happened in her head. Validar hadn't been in her nightmares for almost a month now, since her priorities had been set on Walhart. She had practically forgotten how terrifying the man and his effect on her was. Did…Did he really have the power to control her?

Una forced out a laugh, cringing at how strained it sounded. Of course he couldn't have that power. This was only a dream, after all; a figment of her imagination. She wasn't sure where she came up with such a notion, but…Her chest squeezed at the grief from her last nightmare. She had assumed that was a dream too, and now Basilio was dead. Was this a premonition too?

Oh gods, what if it was?! She could never betray Chrom and the Halidom like that, but her mind was warning her that this was something she was meant to do. The picture of Chrom's horrified stare burned in her brain, almost taunting her for her failure. It was like she was the enemy in his eyes. How could she do that to him?! How could she…

Her eyes flickered back to her own hands, which were now gripping her bedsheets so tight her knuckles were white. How long was it until she couldn't control them anymore? Was she even controlling them now, or was every move she had made since meeting Chrom in that field planned?

Una haphazardly swiped stray tears off her cheeks, diverting her gaze anywhere but in front of her. Her candle had long since blown out after carelessly left lit when she fell asleep, cloaking the room in darkness. Her eyes shifted to the size to scramble for a cup of water, but bumped against a small object instead. Her fingers closed around it, bringing it close to see what it was; a clock.

It was about ten until 12:00 AM. After the party the night before, everyone was sure to be asleep. Gods, she wanted nothing more than to talk to Lissa or-

Next thing Una knew, her feet were padding into the hall. It was still technically the day, so if she made it to his room before midnight…well, she wasn't quite sure what she would do. All she knew was that she needed someone to be with her.

She stopped in front of Inigo's room, taking a quick second to wipe her face from any spare tears. When she deemed herself put together enough to keep from looking like a petty damsel, Una meekly rapped her knuckles against the wood. The noise echoed eerily down the hallway, the only sound more unnerving was the silence that followed. Maybe she had made a mistake. Despite taking a nap earlier, Inigo still seemed a little beat. Her having him give her a massage, humor Morgan's trap, and help her reorganize her bookshelf probably didn't do much to help. That, and he seemed a little out of it when they reunited. She brushed it off earlier, but now the reality of his odd behavior was starting to set in. Had she been too hard on him? She thought it was okay because it was a game they both did willingly, but maybe she had crossed the line. Gods, she hoped he didn't hate her-

Una flinched when the door opened and Owain sleepily popped his head out. He gave her a brief lookover before snorting and directing his voice back inside the room," It's for you."

A grumble resonated from inside, but Owain's retreating form alongside the sound of approaching footsteps assured her that Inigo was on the way. The white haired boy shuffled back into the darkness, only to be replaced with her ruffled boyfriend," What is it you want this late? Having trouble falling asleep?" He yawned, his eyes still adjusting to his surroundings. Had she woken him up? Her guilt nearly doubled," I don't know if I can make you a cup of tea in two minutes, but I can do my best."

"N-No, it's not that," She fumbled, mentally berating herself for not thinking this through," I just don't—I don't want to be alone. B-But if you're tired, I…I should go."

It was as if someone flicked a switch, because Inigo was now fully awake. He spared one last glance into his room before slipping out and closing the door behind him," No, it's alright. I should not have been so harsh," She felt his warm hand cup her cheek, freezing once his thumb brushed against her tear-stained skin. Part of her wanted nothing more than to bolt from humiliation, but his gentle hold on her kept her feet firmly planted onto the ground. She could scarcely make out his eyes taking her state in, the darkness doing a good job at masking his concern. She shivered as other hand lightly trailed down her bare arm, stopping to close it's fingers around hers," You're shaking."

Was she? With everything that had just happened, it escaped her notice," O-Oh. I'm sorry."

"Oh no, don't apologize," Inigo cooed, his hand squeezing hers," Would you like to talk about it?"

He always asked this, and she always turned him down. There was no need to burden anyone with the horrors of her nightmares, especially someone like Inigo. She knew she wouldn't be able to answer without breaking down, so instead she managed to shake her head no. He let out a small, discouraged hum at this, but thankfully didn't push it further," Would you like me to stay with you until you fall back asleep?"

Una sniffed," But i-it's past midnight, s-so you're-."

He firmly pressed one of his fingers over her lips," This offer is free of charge. Cuddling with you is a privilege, and I am more than happy to hold you until your worries are gone."

She opened her mouth to agree, but a small blubber choked out instead. Gods, she was pathetic. Una brought her free fist up to press in front of her mouth, only to have Inigo's hand wrap securely around it. He used this to gently bring her closer, pressing his forehead against hers in an attempt to calm her down," Let's go, hmm?"

He tenderly tucked one of his arms underneath her knees and the other around her waist, lifting her up to cradle against his chest. She didn't even have the energy anymore to protest the motion, instead throwing pride to the wind and snuggling closer. It felt like no time before they were back in her room and she was being gently laid back onto her bed. Inigo was quick to join her, slipping his arms around her waist to hug her warmly," It's going to be alright, Una," He murmured comfortingly against her hair," It was just a nightmare."

She shuddered against his torso, her fingers lightly grasping the fabric of his tunic," It felt so real."

"I know," Inigo gingerly stroked the back of her head, his fingers weaving into her purple hair," But you're safe now. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Una nodded meekly, though a small voice in the back of her head knew it wasn't true.

* * *

 **God, I love Una and Inigo. It's been a while since we've had a completely Unigo centered chapter, so getting back to their roots was a lot of fun! I really liked the change in perspectives between them, with Una being the more playful one and Inigo being grumpy about it. The tactics scene was a personal favorite of mine because now Inigo knows his girlfriend's weakness, lol. Do you guys have anything like that? I know that when I find out a guy likes Disney, he is instantly more attractive. Kind of weird, but I think we all get it. The chess scene was also something I pulled from my life, because when I get bored during games, I steal pieces. I stole a whole lot of money without my friends noticing during Monopoly, because people tend not to notice if they're engulfed in their own strategy. It's pretty funny, so I knew I wanted to incorporate that in the game. The only difference is that Inigo got caught, haha. There was some more hinting towards Inigo being Morgan's dad. I realized pretty early on that Inigo is written to spend more time with Lon'qu, so I knew I wanted him and his mother to have a moment. What better time than after she realizes she has a grandson? It's funny that Inigo's reaction to Morgan dancing is the way it is, because Una's other child definitely inherited her two left feet. I think that Inigo is also nervous to accept Morgan as his son because he doesn't have proof. He doesn't want to get his hopes up, just to have another man walk into the picture. Finally, Una got another nightmare. This is going to come up again, but doesn't her scene sound familiar? It's definitely going to come back, so make sure to keep it in the back of your head! And finally, we've got some cute Unigo cuddles to finish off our chapter. Review time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **Thank you! The opportunity was too perfect to pass up. I figured that since Inigo isn't vocal about his dancing, it was more realistic for Morgan to realize his abilities alongside his grandmother! Olivia is the #1 Unigo shipper. Thank you for the review!**

 **DavianThule19:** **Haha, yeah! Morgan's awkwardness is my new favorite thing. I'm so used to Morgan being a chipper optimist, so this spacey ball of social awkwardness that is forming is the best thing ever. And Oh. My. God. I just want it to be time for Soleil to come. Her part in the family kind of completes it, especially in terms of Morgan. I just want her here already! Thanks for the review!**

 **Saber007 : Yes, thank you for the suggestion! It unknowingly inspired a whole follow-up chapter! I'm glad you liked it. Also, that was probably the most embarrassing thing for Morgan to see. Imagine if he knew Inigo was his father, haha. You bring up a good point about Severa and Owain's kids. They won't be in this part of the story, but they are definitely popping up in the next part around the same time as Soleil. I am changing the story of Fates a little bit in Owain's case, but there are going to be a few instances where I fudge that storyline. And by a few, I mean I'm adding two whole characters into it. I don't want to get too much into it, because I want there to still be an element of surprise! Thank you for your review!**

 **So, the next chapter is going to be the start of one of the final arcs of this part. We're picking up with landing in Regna Ferox and going from there. Someone will be making an appearance, so keep an eye out! I don't want to focus on every chapter left in the game story (I think there's five?), but there is going to be a lot of loose ends tied up. Do you guys have any predictions? I give a lot away in my review responses, so that might hint at where we're headed next. Anyways, thank you all for reading! I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	19. Chapter 19

**So...this was the hardest chapter to write so far. I almost didn't post it because I thought I wouldn't write it in time. But alas! Inspiration hit me at exactly 9:30 PM tonight, and I wrote around 5 pages. For reference, I write about 10 pages per chapter. This chapter ended up having 12 pages. So, I hope you're all excited! Not much to recap on, other than the fact that Una is worried her nightmares might be her fate and Inigo knows Morgan can dance. Happy reading!**

* * *

"We're free!"

Una watched with a jarred expression as Morgan flung himself off the gangplank and headfirst into the sand, giggling like a maniac. He didn't seem phased by his smack landing onto the ground; in fact, there was no trace of pain on his face. If anything, he looked more pained back when she and Inigo had their competition a few days ago.

She ignored the grimaces that her fellow Shepherds sent her way as they passed by, still unsure of whether to be mortified or confused by his reaction. In the end, she decided with both," Morgan, are you okay?"

The gray haired boy shot up in a sitting position and wildly shook the sand out of his hair, a wide beam lighting up his face his face," We're finally on land! If I never see another boat again, it will be too soon."

"…What?" They had only spent a little under three weeks on the ship. It felt like more of an elongated vacation to Una, but she supposed that her son was probably restless after just regaining consciousness," Did it really scar you that badly?"

"Mother, I thought I was going to _die_ on that boat."

Una merely stared at her son in a loss for words. The longer she spent with Morgan, the more baffled she became. He definitely had her smarts, though he used them in the oddest of circumstances. He was also a bit shy and awkward, something she related to heavily. His overdramatic streak was something that came out after the war, and since she couldn't place that behavior, she never knew what to say.

A familiar chill ran down her spine, and she didn't even have to turn to know it was Maribelle giving her a questionable stare. Una shrugged weakly," He doesn't get that from me."

"Let me handle this," The two women watched as Gaius slid between them, grabbed Morgan by the back of his coat, and hoisted him onto his feet," Come on, Little Bubbles. There's a fudge shop nearby that I'm sure you're dying to try."

" _Morgan's_ the one dying to try it?" Maribelle prodded, a hint of a smile on her face as she teased her husband.

The gray haired boy didn't seem to notice the exchange, instead bouncing on his toes in excitement. His fondness for the thief kind of came out of nowhere in Una's opinion, but she was glad he was welcoming her son with open arms. Morgan masked it well, but it didn't take a genius to see he didn't feel like he fit in with the Shepherds. Heck, it had taken him three weeks to talk to Yarne, and he was the most timid person Una knew. The fact that Gaius and his family supported him warmed Una's heart," Mother, can I go?"

She rolled her eyes fondly. Since they had just docked, a majority of the army was given the day to rest before starting the march back to Ylisstol in the morning. As long as her son was unharmed, she had no problems letting them live a little," You boys have fun. Just make sure to be back before dark," The purple haired girl sent a pointed look towards Gaius," Don't get him into any trouble."

"I'm hurt, Bubbles," He drawled," What kind of honorary uncle would I be if we _didn't_ get into a bit of trouble."

" _Gaius_."

The redhead held his hands up in defeat," Only kidding. Let's go, Little Bubbles."

The two women waved them off as the faded into the bustling harbor, giggling in the process. Una sent a brief glance back towards the unloading ship before turning back to Maribelle," Do you have any plans for this afternoon?"

"Oh yes, darling. It actually involves…," The blonde trailed off as she searched the crowd. It didn't take long for her to spot her prey and take off towards them. Seeing that there was nothing else for her to do at the moment, Una followed. She was half expecting their target to be Lissa, so her curiosity was properly piqued when they approached a pair of Feroxians," Olivia! It's lovely to see you here," The woman opened her mouth to reply, but Maribelle continued on," Remember that conversation we had last week? The one about confidence?"

The pink haired lady's lips snapped shut in an instant," Y-You want to do that now?"

"There is no finer opportunity," She sent a brief reassurance to Lon'qu, who stiffened the moment the two women cornered them," No worries. I will have her back for dinner."

Olivia sent a pleading glance to Una, who pretended not to be paying attention. She had been on the opposing end of Maribelle's 'helpful' lessons, and she really didn't want to be involved in another experiment," But-."

"Bup, bup, bup," Maribelle tutted, reaching forward with lightning speed to link her arm with the dancers," Off we go!"

The purpled haired girl bit back a snort as she watched yet another pair walk into town, though this time seemed more like one was dragging the other. She would have to ask Maribelle about their adventures later. Once they were out of sight, Una turned her attention back towards the remaining Shepherd and felt a pit form in her stomach.

Lon'qu.

It hadn't really occurred to her that they hadn't had closure yet. She had very much put her feelings for him to rest, and she couldn't ask for anyone better than Inigo. It was just the fact that she used to have a crush on her beau's father that made her feel a little queasy. She could just imagine how awkward it would get if he became her father-in-law.

He didn't seem to be taking the absence of his wife much better. Whenever they saw each other, it was usually in the presence of another Shepherd. Either Olivia or Inigo often took that place to keep things from getting too awkward, and their absence weighed on the pair like heavy armor.

Una swung her hands back and forth anxiously, eventually deciding that saying something would be better than standing in the suffocating silence between them," How are you today?"

"Fine. You?"

"Oh, fine. I'm fine," She replied absently," Just a little bored. I'm starting to think I should have left early with Frederick to look for the last gemstone."

Lon'qu shifted," No, it's good you're here. You deserve a break."

Despite her best interests, Una softened slightly at this. Receiving a compliment from Lon'qu was as rare as finding two identical snowflakes, so she took it was pride," Thanks. You do too."

"Thanks."

And just like that, the silence returned with a vengeance. How had they talked to each other before? No matter how much she tried to erase it from her memory, Una remembered most of their encounters being her chucking figs at him from a distance while he protested. It was no wonder he didn't return her sentiments.

Maybe she had just gotten to accustomed to being with Inigo. He was the type of person that could talk your ear off if you wanted him to, and that ability doubled two-fold when they were in private. Sure, a lot of what they chatted about was nonsense, but it had become a comfort of sorts for Una. To think, it all started with some glib banter.

"Excuse me," Una pulled herself out of her head to find a Feroxi soldier address her," Your presence has been requested," Her presence? That was odd. She didn't remember setting any meetings with Flavia. It couldn't be Chrom either; he was out with Cynthia to have some 'daddy-daughter time'. Say'ri was still in Chon'sin with Tiki to help rebuild the country, though she promised she would be over as soon as danger reared it's head. Who did that leave? To make things more confusing, the soldier also turned to face Lon'qu," You have been requested as well."

"Both of us?" She exchanged a look with her comrade, unsure of what to make of the news," What is this about?"

"I apologize, ma'am, but I cannot divulge this information. It is too pertinent to be made public yet. Would you please follow me?"

From the corner of her eye, Una noticed Lon'qu cautiously grip the hilt of his sword. She followed play by letting her hand hover over her Thoron tome from where it rested in it's holster," Lead the way."

Una began taking note of the soldier's movements the minute she took her first step. He didn't seem to be leading them into town, which came as a relief to her. She wasn't familiar with this port, and if they were lead down the wrong alley, they could easily be outnumbered. Instead, the trio made their way farther down the docks until they reached a small cottage sitting just above them on the shore. The man did a scan of the area around them before guiding her and Lon'qu to the entrance of the building," I'll stay out here."

She spared one last glance to her companion, who nodded in response. Whoever they had to face inside, he was confident that the two of them could take them down. For some reason, teaming up with Lon'qu made her nostalgic. The last time they were waiting to knock down a door, it was to defeat Gangrel. Unfortunately they only came across Orton, but at least they managed to free Maribelle from the border.

Without a second to lose, Una turned the knob and entered the room.

"Aha, Una!" Her heart stopped at the sound of the familiar voice," Just the brilliant tactician I wanted to see."

"…Basilio?"

0-0-0

Morgan was having the time of his life. He had spent over an hour in the candy shop with Gaius before getting bored and leaving him behind the explore the rest of the port. It turns out, there's a lot of cool stuff to look at! He approached every stand and looked at every item, even if he only had a few bullions in his pocket. He was about to buy a pendant for his mother from Anna when something in the distance caught his eye," Woah, what's that?"

The redhead puffed her cheeks out in frustration at the hold in her sale," That's a bookshop, kid. Now, as we were saying-."

"Hold on— _they have stores just for books_?!"

And now it was three hours later.

Morgan had promised himself earlier to save some money for chocolate, but there were just too many books to choose from! He ended up leaving with two books on tactics, three short stories, one history book, and a romantic novel the shopkeep suggested when Morgan asked how to talk to girls. He stuffed as many as he could fit into his bag, but that still meant he had a stack of about four as he stumbled out the door.

He was just starting to make a mental plan for how to best return to the inn when a familiar head of brown hair caught his attention," Inigo? Inigo! Over here!"

The mercenary perked up when he heard the voice, but the moment he laid eyes on Morgan, he burst into laughter," What have you got there?"

"Did you know that they made stores just for books?" Morgan was doing his best to hold in his thrill, but the bounce in his step was definitely a dead giveaway," Can you help me carry them back? I don't want to drop one."

The brunet snickered to himself and took half the stack from his hands," You really do take after your mother," Morgan puffed up in pride at the compliment, causing the man to chuckle even more," Though, I don't know if _The Scandalous Heart_ is something-."

His hand whipped out to grab the novel so fast that Morgan's arm was a blur," Oh, that? I'm just holding that for a friend. It's definitely not for me, because why would I ask the bookkeeper for romance advice? Haha, that would be ridiculous…," He grew quiet," I would never do that."

Inigo stared at him for what felt like an eternity before muttering," Is that how I sound when I lie? I'll have to work on that," The tactician merely responded by sticking out his tongue," Sorry, that was a bit harsh. If you wanted advice, you should have come to me."

"No, no, no," Morgan spun on his heel to speed-walk away, the blush evident on his face. He made it a few feet away before stopping in his tracks and sending an anxious look back towards the seventeen year old. As much as he didn't want to be a part of this conversation, logic won over; Morgan didn't know how to get back to the inn and Inigo still had one of his books. Said boy bit back a laugh at the antic and did a light jog to catch up," You lost the game, remember? I can't take advice from a loser."

Morgan bit the inside of his cheek as soon as the words left his mouth, knowing that came out harsher than he wanted. Fortunately, Inigo shrugged with a weird amount of smugness in his features as they continued to their destination," Have you ever considered I may have forfeited?"

The gray haired boy furrowed his eyebrows," Why would you do that?"

"I got to spend the whole day with Una, and while it was more tiresome than I imagined it to be, I did get some good things out of it," Morgan tipped his head. Was that really Inigo's plan all along? The mercenary continued," I learned a lot more about her, and a thing or two about you as well."

Now this was an unexpected turn. Did his mother talk about him? No, that wouldn't make sense. The two people in the Shepherds he spent the most time with, aside from Nah, were Una and Inigo. It was weird for one to know one thing about him that the other didn't, especially since he barely knew anything about himself," Me?"

Inigo grinned to himself, knowing fully well that Morgan had taken the bait," Virion said you were a good strategist. I knew you wanted to be like Una, but I didn't know that you were actually good at it," The fifteen year old would have hit him if not for the stack of books in his hands, so he settled with an annoyed glare," I jest. You've mentioned before that you feel inadequate without your memories, but I feel that you've failed to realize that your potential is still here," To emphasize his point, Inigo pointed over the boy's heart," Keep your spirit alive, and it will all come back eventually."

Morgan could only stare back at his friend with wide eyes. Had Inigo really noticed all that? It was no secret that he was a bit of an outsider among the Shepherds, and while people were starting to notice him now, most people compared him to his mother. The brunet, on the other hand, knew exactly what was bothering him and assured him that it was going to be okay all in one go. He had to turn his head away to hide his smile, suddenly feeling very shy in front of the mercenary," Thanks."

"My pleasure. And if you want my input on Nah, I say just be yourself. You're a lovely young man, and she would be a fool not to see that," Inigo playfully ruffled his hair as his face heated up in embarrassment before growing quiet," You know, my mother also mentioned you. She said you were a talented dancer."

If his face had been red before, his cheeks burned tenfold at the compliment," O-Oh. I'm not as good as her, I just thought I'd join in and-," Morgan nearly tripped over a crack in the stone walkway, the ticklish feeling returning to his brain. He frantically searched his surroundings, ignoring Inigo's perturbed look to analyze every brick in every building around him. Darn, why wasn't anything ringing a bell? It had to! His sixth sense never let him down, and-

Morgan's breath felt as if it had been sucked out of his lungs when his gaze landed back on the seventeen year old in front of him…Had Inigo complimented him on his dancing skills before?

 _Step over your right foot. Kick your leg straight into the air. Let the audience know you are having fun. Now end with a big finish. Calypso leap and—you did it! And the crowd goes wild!_

The gray haired boy stopped dead in his tracks, only vaguely realizing that Inigo stumbled back when he realized what happened. The concern was evident in his irises, but without warning, a question sprung from his lips," Inigo, can you dance?"

The smile slipped from his face," How did you know that?"

"Holy-," Morgan squeezed his eyes shut, the voice in his head getting louder by the second. _Drag your arm to the right. Now spin around yourself. Roll your hips. Show the audience a smile._ _See, Una? We're lucky that one of our kids inherited my family's talent._

He felt an arm cup his shoulder, but it felt fuzzy in the fog of colors clouding his mind," Morgan, are you alright? Hey, talk to me."

 _One of us?! Daddy, I'm gonna be a good dancer too! How am I supposed to impress the girls with mama's two left feet?_

"You're turning pale-Do you need a healer? Morgan?"

 _At least I taught them both to be tactically smart in battle. All you've taught them was how to dance and flirt with girls. Speaking of which, do you know how long it's going to take to break Soleil of that habit? We don't want a little you running around._

 _I was charming._

 _You were annoying._

"Morgan!"

Morgan's eyes shot open, anxiety clutching his steadily beating heart. That…that was his family. That was a conversation with his mom, his dad, and-

Soleil.

How could he forget Soleil?!

Morgan shook his head and pushed himself past Inigo, heading straight towards the door of the inn," Thanks for walking me back, Inigo, but I-," He forced his eyelids shut again, hoping to scrounge up any semblance of a memory. The colors were gone, replaced with the normal darkness that usually came with closing his eyes. Damn, where was Soleil? Why couldn't he remember her?! He opened his eyes again in defeat, only to find Inigo cautiously reaching out to steady him. Morgan instinctively took a step back, suddenly feeling very jittery in the presence of a man that shared a voice eerily close to his father," I gotta go lie down."

0-0-0

As much as Una loved to travel, she had to admit, it was good to be home. It felt like ages since she had been in Ylisstol, even if in reality it had only been a little under a year. The shopkeepers that she frequented welcomed her back with open arms, and her little nook in the Barracks was just as she had left it.

Now that Nowi was married, she had gotten a new roommate in Severa of all people. Una heavily hinted that she would much rather have Noire or Nah with her, but apparently everyone had grouped up before she even arrived. It was nothing against Severa as a person, but having the daughter of the woman who currently held a grudge against her within ten feet at all times was a little unnerving.

To avoid confronting this, she set up camp in the common area with a book she borrowed from Morgan. The tactics in it kept her attention well enough, but the frequent sighs from the corner of the room were enough to make her put the material down. Most of the Shepherds had moved out when they married, leaving room for the new recruits and future children. Seeing that the latter group was exploring the city while they still could, it left the usually bustling place quite empty.

The only other resident in the room was Chrom, out of all people. He kept pacing the length of the wall, his gaze always flickering back to the door. To make matters worse, he would heave out the most melancholy sigh at least once every five minutes. Despite his moody attitude, Una cracked a small smile. It was like he was begging for her attention," I know that face... _Dueling with unpleasant thoughts_ , are we?"

He didn't waste a second answering, confirming her prediction," You know me well, Robin."

The purple haired girl took up his silent invitation, placing her book on the side table to approach his side," Hey, remember when Lissa first brought me here?" She asked lightly, spinning slowly to take the whole room in," You know, when I met all the Shepherds? And Sumia...Ha ha!" She was sure there were still imprints on the floor from Sumia's stumbles. If she had told her past self that the woman would someday become to queen of Ylisse, Una would have laughed herself out of the building," Actually, that's one of my first memories, in a way."

"Heh. I suppose so," Chrom's amusement was short lived, because his shoulders sank in record time," I wish all our memories since could have been as joyful."

Una frowned," I know...So much needless bloodshed. So many days of pain and doubt and fighting...," She shook her head, quickly deciding that dwelling on the negative memories wouldn't do anyone any good," We would have never made it without you there to guide us, you know."

Seeing him smile was like seeing the sun after years of just rain," Funny. I was going to say the same to you."

She felt herself grin back," I guess we really are two halves of the same whole. So, are you going to tell me what's bothering you? I'm a tactician, not a mind reader."

Chrom snorted," You know that I've sent Frederick to search for Sable, the final Gemstone. What I haven't told you is that I've been reading more about the Awakening ritual," Una rose her eyebrow. She liked to think of herself as well read, but whatever he was referring to was drawing a blank in her head," It seems that whoever attempts the rite must brave Naga's fire. If both body and spirit survive the agony, they are blessed with the dragon's power. Otherwise, the candidate...dies."

"What?! No!" The pair whipped around, only to find a familiar princess hiding behind one of the building supports. After it became abudently obvious that her presence was made, she slinked out in shame,"...Er, that is... Father, must you attempt this?"

The blue haired man crossed his arms," Eavesdropping, young lady?"

"Forgive me, Father. I didn't intend to...," She released a melodramatic sigh that could rival Chrom's. It reminded Una of the way her friend acted not too long ago, back when he tried to listen in on Emmeryn's private meetings with Philia. The two were more alike than either probably realized, though Sumia often talked of their resemblance. She didn't seem too jealous by it, seeing that Cynthia was practically her clone," I came to speak with you, but I couldn't find the right moment and-."

He held up his hands with a small chuckle," It's all right, Lucina. And yes, I'll be all right, too. I will withstand Naga's fire. I'm sure of it."

"Milord, I have returned."

Although Lucina had been a welcomed visitor to their conversation, seeing Frederick walk through the door made both Chrom and Una straighten up in anticipation," Yes, Frederick? Did you find it?"

Una felt her heart drop at the state the knight was in. To the common eye, he looked completely fine. However, Una was used to immaculate hair and perfectly shined armor from the man. Seeing his locks ruffled, specs of dirt on the metal, and most of all, the worried look in his eye, really set her aback," I believe so, sire. King Validar has extended an invitation. He says Plegia has been guarding Sable, and now he wishes to return it to you."

It was as if someone had pulled the floor out from underneath her. Validar?! No, it couldn't be. Her mind immediately flew back to her dream from the week before, the tense feeling shooting back through her muscles. What if he controlled her? What if his dream was a message to her? Una swallowed, hoping that her body didn't give away the nerves she felt.

Chrom slowly dragged his hand through his hair, his eyes flickering over to check on Una. To his knowledge, he was the only one that knew about her heritage. Hell, he didn't even know if Inigo was aware. All he could remember was his friend convulsing on the ground in the forest right at the beginning of the war, sobbing that Validar said he was her father and that she could be a monster. The possibility of that happening again formed a pit in his stomach," Validar...Damn it all, why did it have to be Validar?"

The knight nodded in agreement," They sent word to me, milord. They must have caught wind of my search...," Una's head flicked up at that comment, her head reeling. This was the second time she had heard of a possible leak in their resistance, confirming Basilio's suspicions from earlier," In any case, Validar asks that you visit him in person, that he might formally present it. Perhaps needless to say, milord, but I don't like this one bit."

"Neither do I, Frederick the Wary. Neither do I," He took a deep breath," At best, it's selfish political maneuvering at a time when the world can ill afford it. At worst, our run-in with those Risen last visit was no accident...," Chrom shared a questioning look with Una, who bobbed her head in agreement," But we will meet with him. Send word at once."

Frederick, on the other hand, didn't seem as sure," Milord, are you...certain that's wise?"

"No, but we haven't time to be certain...And my sister never refused a diplomatic gesture, no matter how foul smelling. If he doesn't give us the stone, he may at least reveal where it is."

Una reached forward to gently squeeze her friend's shoulder," Don't worry, Frederick. We're not walking into this blindly. We will make certain everyone is armed to the teeth. We've won against Plegia before, and I have confidence we can do it again," She hated that her reassurance felt like it was more aimed at herself than the others in the room.

Frederick, being as wary as usual, wasn't entirely sold," Then the Fire Emblem, milord-you ought at least leave it behind."

"Unless that's what Validar expects, and he comes to steal it with my best men away...," The tactician blinked, hoping that her surprise at his foresight went unnoticed. Since when had Chrom become smart? Was this the same man that invited a strange, obviously Plegian woman to lead their army hardly three years ago? She bit back a laugh at the thought, knowing that giggling in a situation like this would earn her more than one stink eye," No, it's safest with me, for now. We'll learn the truth of Validar's motive soon enough..."

The meeting adjourned fairly quickly after that, with Chrom, Frederick, and Lucina leaving the form a proposal to the court. Una opted to stay behind, claiming that it was for further research to later present a plan. If she was being completely honest, she had formed a strategy the day after leaving Plegia just in case they ever had to go back. No, her intentions were far from following Chrom's orders, and only one person could know about it.

Fortunately for her, that person was dead.

0-0-0

Inigo woke up that night to the sound of a knock on his door. He sent a sleepy look over to Owain, who was completely out, and stumbled to answer it. No doubt Una had another nightmare. He was about ready to give in the towel and move into her room, but everyone would definitely throw a fit. It was unproper for an unmarried couple to share a bed, even if they did it every other night behind their backs anyways.

So when the brunet opened the door to find Severa standing behind it, he sweatdropped,"…Are you here for Owain?"

"It's Una," She sputtered out, the fear in her eyes becoming more evident as his vision adjusted to the darkness," She's h-having a panic attack-."

Just like that, he was wide awake," Lead the way."

The two took off down the hallway of the barracks, terror gnawing away at his insides like a hungry beast. Inigo knew her nightmares were bad, but she had never had a panic attack from one. Worst of all, he had no idea what to do about it. He just prayed to Naga that it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

It was only when he tore into the girls' bedroom that he realized it was much, much worse.

Una was shaking like a leaf, heaving sobs out as she tried to swallow air. She was curled up in a tight ball, her fingers gripping her arms tight enough to draw blood. It only took one second for Inigo to process the sight in front of him before he decided he never wanted to see it again.

The brunet leapt forward and kneeled on the ground next to the bed, hesitantly reaching out to touch her cheek. Noire had had panic attacks like this before they traveled to the past, and she lashed out whenever someone so much as breathed near her. She would later explain in confidence that their fingers felt like they left burns when she was in that state, and that hugging her only made her feel like she couldn't breathe. He didn't want to force that upon Una and make matters worse," Una? Hey, it's going to be okay."

Her cries quieted at the sound of his voice, but she was still left gasping for air. It only took a slight nudge of her head to brush against his hand for him to hop up in envelope her in his arms. She immediately took to the gesture, moving her grip away from the bloody marks on her arm to wrap around his back. He could feel her trembles through her entire body, and it scared him that he didn't know how to help her," Breath, Una. It'll be alright, I promise."

"I-," She sputtered," I c-can't."

Shit, shit, shit. What if she passed out? Should he get a healer? Why didn't Severa wake up Brady instead of him? He didn't know anything about panic attacks! All he knew was what Noire told him, and she and Una were vastly different cases. He sent a desperate look towards the redhead, whose eyes were frozen in fear. Damn, it didn't look like she was going to be much help either. Inigo swallowed a worried whine, muffling it by pressing a kiss to into her hair," How about you focus on something else? Can…," Suddenly, a memory from his childhood bubbled back up into his head. Whenever he had nightmares, his mother would hold him close with his head resting on top of her chest. The steady beat of her heart lulled him to sleep every time," Can you hear my heartbeat?" There was a moment of silence before he felt the slightest bob of her head," Okay, focus on that."

Miraculously, he spotted the rise and fall of her back begin to slow. Thank the gods. He was starting to think that she'd fall unconscious. He sent a quick glance back to Severa, who's shoulders sank in relief at the sight of her new roommate calming down. They made brief eye contact, only breaking once Inigo scooped his girlfriend up in his arms and whispered," I'm going to make her me tea. You can go back to sleep."

Severa frowned, her irises constantly flickering back to the girl in his grasp," Are you sure she's okay? She never acts like this."

Inigo forced a smile at the bitter reminder that nearly the entire army was oblivious to their tactician's night terrors. It was hard to think of an explanation, so he settled on a simple," She'll be okay."

"…Okay."

The brunet nodded his farewell before starting his trek towards the kitchen. It was a blessing to find it empty, even though that shouldn't have come to as much of a surprise this late into the night. He settled Una on top of one of the counters, reaching underneath her to pull out a pot. Inigo wove around the other side of her to the pump to fill the pot with water before finally making his way to the fire. He slid it over top the coals, making sure it was in the right position. When he was satisfied, the seventeen year old returned to his girlfriend's side.

She seemed to be a little better now. There were still tears cascading down her cheeks, she was shivering like she was in a winter storm, and she wouldn't look him in the eye, but at least she was breathing now. Inigo leaned forward so that his elbows her on either side of her thighs, his head just slightly below hers," Una…," Gods, how was he supposed to say this? He bit his lip, already dreading what was going to come out of his mouth," I know you don't want to talk about your nightmares, but-."

"Inigo, I can't-."

"Una, it's getting worse and-."

"You don't want to know what I dream about-."

"I'm starting to get worried about your-."

"It's nothing-."

"It's not!" Inigo winced at the sudden outburst, knowing that he definitely crossed the line," I…I just cannot bear to see you in such pain, Una," With a sigh, he reached over her shoulder to grab two teacups and teabags, meandering back to the kettle to pour the hot water inside. He dipped each bag into each cup as he returned to her side. She accepted her mug with shaky hands, taking a jittery sip as he hopped up onto the counter to sit next to her. The silence was deafening, and he was terrified that if they dwelled in it any longer, Una would fall back into a depression," Please…talk to me."

Una sniffled, holding her cup close to her chest," I…," Inigo choked up when she finally turned to look at him, a sheen of horror in her eyes that he had never seen before. He unconsciously reached forward to brush away some of the stray tears on her cheeks, leaving his hand to cup her face. Her next words came out in a hushed tone so quiet, he barely heard it," I killed him."

He tried his best not to flinch at the chilling gravity in her tone," What?"

"I-In my dream, I—we were—we were f-fighting Validar, and we w-won, but," She choked, pressing one of her fists over her lips to muffle the sob trying to force itself out," He used me," Una seethed, her voice dripping with a mixture of venom, betrayal, and self-hatred," He used me to…to…"

Inigo didn't like the direction this was going, but his morbid curiosity couldn't stop him from asking," Who did he force you to kill?"

Una ripped her gaze away from his, too ashamed to look him in the eye as she confessed," He had me murder Chrom," In a millisecond, her shoulders were shuddering again," I-I'm so sorry! I didn't want to-."

"Hey, don't apologize," He cooed, hopping back down to his previous position to wrap his arms around her waist and squeeze. It was no wonder she was afraid to sleep alone with nightmares like that. He didn't want to imagine turning on one of his allies, and to know that Una had such a vivid vision of it made his stomach churn," It was just a nightmare."

She shook her head," But what if it comes true? Wh-What if I—What if I-?"

"You won't," Inigo placed on a supportive smile," I know you, Una, and you are many things. You're beautiful, smart, kind, loyal, and above all else, a good person. You are _not_ a murderer."

The purple haired girl grew quiet for a few moments afterwards, taking a few seconds to let his words sink in before shyly glancing up," But we kill people all the time. We're soldiers."

"Even when devastated, you're still cheeky," Inigo reached up to brush her bangs from her face," Do you feel better?"

"…A little," Una timidly unwrapped her hands around her teacup to grip the hand cupping her cheek," I don't want to go back to sleep."

He snorted in agreement. Even if he hadn't been the one with the nightmare, Inigo wasn't sure he could get rest with the image of Una hyperventilating burned in his brain," That's alright. I'll stay up with you."

"…Really?"

"Really," Inigo gently brushed his thumb over the apple of her cheek one last time before bringing both his and her hands down," How about we grab one of Morgan's books? He bought some a couple of days ago, and I think you'd be very interested in one of them."

Una tilted her head," Oh? What is it?"

"It's called _The Scandalous Heart_."

* * *

 **Oh boy, lots to unpack with this chapter. Just a fair warning, the next few chapters are going to be crazy. I'm really excited about the last arc of this story, so I hope you guys like it! Back to today's chapter: Morgan is my new favorite character. I don't know if I've mentioned that before, but I adore writing him. I love his and Gaius's relationship with each other, which will definitely come back up in the next part of this story. Do you guys have any guesses? We had a bit of awkward time between Una and Lon'qu, oh and...you know. Basilio's alive. It is mentioned in the game story that the Avatar planned for the emblem to get switched out, so I wanted to plant those seeds right away. Also, I just like the idea of Lon'qu being one of the first people to reunite with his friend (cough cough, dad). MORGAN AND INIGO, THE POWER TEAM. So, this part was why I had such a hard time writing this chapter. I was going to have Inigo get cold feet and brush Morgan off, but I realized that wasn't what I wanted with this story. So, I went in the complete opposite direction, and I'm much happier with the results. And, even though it was super small, WE FINALLY HAD A SOLEIL CAMEO. Gods, I don't know if you guys know this or not, but I'm ready for her to be in this story. I hate that there is still so many chapters before we get to see her because she's one of my favorite characters. I am actually stuck between something, though, and I wanted your input: Should Soleil, when she appears, have pink hair (like Olivia) or purple hair (like Una). Either works for me, but I want to see what you guys think. Another thing I love in this story is Chrom and Una's friendship. I think that was something I unintentionally had on the backburner for the first part of the story, but I really like their power team. And finally, I wanted to address the worst nightmare of all: Una killing Chrom. I really wanted to do this part in Inigo's perspective A) to shake things up, since we've mostly only seen Una's nightmares from her perspective and B) this is his first taste at what's going on inside her head. I wanted him to be in on it a little bit for the future, because it is definitely going to come back into play. I also like that Una and Severa are roommates, because those seeds are also planting for a garden to bloom in the future (that was a terrible metaphor, I'm sorry). And finally, we ended with Inigo suggested that he and Una read Morgan's romance book to embarrass him. I couldn't imagine a better way to leave off before flying off the handle in the next chapter. Review time!**

 **Saber007:** **Oh, I am 100% going to marry Selena to Tsubaki. In my mind, there is no other pairing in that game that is as perfect as the two of them together. I am also super interested in the dynamic between the two of them, especially since Severa holds a lot more resentment towards her mother in this universe (she is still pining after Chrom, unfortunately). Severa/Selena's part in this story is something that will become more prevalent as the chapters roll on, especially now since she and Una are roommates (what could go wrong?). Thanks for reviewing!**

 **So, we're visiting Plegia in the next chapter. I am mainly going to focus on that in-game chapter for the next Glib Banter chapter, so you all know what angst is coming up with a certain princess. I have a little twist I'm incorporating in this version, and I'm really excited to see what you guys think of it! As always, thank you all for reading! Sorry this chapter went up so late, but I'm technically still posting this Monday night.**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello everyone! I hope you're ready for drama, because this chapter is full of it. To do a brief recap, it was discovered that Plegia has the final gemstone. Chrom set off to arrange a march, while Una was left to her own devices. This lead to her having another nightmare where she was the one to kill Chrom (like in the game), and after a panic attack, was talked into confiding in Inigo. Oh yeah, and Morgan is starting to remember things. Happy reading!**

* * *

Una covered up a yawn as she sat on the edge of her bed, tying up her riding boots for the march ahead. Chrom returned from the council meeting the night before and announced that the Shepherds would leave for Plegia as soon as possible, giving them one night's rest to prepare for the battle ahead. Nobody was particularly thrilled with the quick turnaround, but the threat of Grima kept them from complaining.

The purple haired girl had been in the party last night that agreed with Chrom's initial plan, though for other reasons than the one he provided. If her strategy was going to play out the way she needed it to, they couldn't spend any time waiting around. The signal they agreed on, a small black stone, was left on the outside of her windowsill that morning to tell her he had succeeded on his part. All they had to do now was wait and see how things went.

The only thing that hadn't gone according to plan was her little episode from last night. She vividly remembered the nightmare; the look of pain in Chrom's eyes as he begged her to run away, his skin turning a deathly shade of white. She could still feel the electricity buzzing in her hands, the very culprit that ended her best friend's life. The smell of fresh blood still lingered in the air.

She tightened her shoestrings into a bow. If she had to be completely honest, everything after that had been a blur until she processed a cup of tea in her hands. She didn't know what brought her to tell Inigo to truth about what she had seen, and part of her was starting to regret confiding in him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him; she was just terrified that if her vision came true, he would…

Una let out a small whine and pressed her fists against her eyes, trying desperately to rub the sleepiness out of them. This was one of the marches she needed to be in top shape for. If the army saw how ragged she was, they wouldn't trust her to lead them into battle. It would be hard enough to get them on her side once they discovered her lineage, something she knew was going to be revealed soon whether she liked it or not.

"Hey."

The tactician blinked, turning around in curiosity to find Severa looking down at her. With everything going on, she had forgotten that she had a new roommate," What's up?"

" _What's up?_ " She crossed her arms harshly, jumping from zero to one hundred in under a second," _What's up_ is that you completely freaked out last night! That's _what's up_!"

…Well shit. Had Severa really witnessed all that? Una felt herself grimace. Only Chrom, and now Inigo, knew about her panic attacks. She didn't want people to get worried about her, and the only reason the two of them knew was because they found her during an episode. She should have known it would only be a matter of time before her new roommate found out," Oh."

Severa's eyebrows dropped," Oh? Is that really all you have to say? Gawds, I thought you were going to hyperventilate or something! You're lucky that Inigo knew what to do."

"I know," She said in her smallest voice," I'm sorry if I worried you."

Thankfully, Severa huffed out a sigh and grumbled," I wasn't worried…I just don't get it."

Una suddenly felt like she was under a microscope. She really didn't want to get in this conversation with the daughter of the woman who hated her most, even if Severa didn't end up telling Cordelia about it. If she was being honest, she just wanted to forget the whole ordeal happened," I know. I understand if you want to change rooms."

"I never said that!" The purple haired girl jumped at the abrupt statement, going so far as to shoot up to face Severa head on. The seventeen year old merely tipped her chin up, doing anything to avoid eye contact," What if it happens again? Do you really think someone like Cynthia or Noire could handle the situation as well as I did? As if!" She shook her head," No way. I'm going to stick around to make sure you don't pass out in your sleep."

As weird as her vocalization was, Una was oddly…touched. She phrased it as if staying with the tactician would be a chore, but she turned down her offer so fast that it meant she had to care. It looked like there were more layers to Severa than she initially thought," Oh, okay."

The redhead waited in silence for a few seconds before bursting," What? No 'thank you'?"

Una bit back a giggle. Maybe rooming with Severa wasn't going to be as bad as she thought," Thank you."

"…You're welcome."

The reply was so quiet, she almost didn't hear it," I'm worry, what was that?"

"I said, _you're welcome_! Gawds, you need to get your hearing checked or something."

This time, Una couldn't keep a small laugh from slipping out of her lips," I think I'm fine. Hey, we should start heading to the castle. We don't want to be late for the march."

0-0-0

Plegia was just as terrible as Una remembered it. It seemed that every time she set foot across the border, her spine tensed up with chills. She knew she had to be from there; that was a fact she made peace with a long time ago. However, the bad feeling that filled every crevice of her being whenever she so much as looked around her made her sick. Whatever memories she had forgotten must have been bad enough to stick with her subconscious.

She didn't like the way the guards looked at them as the Captains walked down the hall. It was agreed that only herself, Chrom, and Frederick would meet with Validar, even though Lucina had been insistent on going. Chrom had almost let her too, but Una settled the matter by saying they didn't want to give Validar any hints towards her lineage. To put Lucina in the crossfire after everything that had happened to her didn't sit well with Una.

They were only a couple of feet away from the King of Validar when a twitch behind one of the pillars caught her eye. She hung back a few steps so that she was in line with Chrom before hissing," Psst! Chrom!"

The only indication he gave that he heard her was a brief rub of his nose, using the movement to cover his mouth as he spoke," Trouble?"

"I saw armed soldiers hiding in the shadows just a few seconds ago…"

He stiffened at that, his eyes briefly flickering towards where she had spotted the enemy," Then it sounds like we have our answer already..."

By the time they had reached Validar and Aversa, Una had already concocted three escape plans," Prince Chrom! Welcome. I see you've brought your friends along with you," He nodded darkly at Una," Daughter."

She only met his greeting with a hard glare.

Chrom butted in quickly, wanting to divert attention away from his friend as soon as possible," I was told you had something you wished to give me."

"My my! No time for courtesy, milord? Such impatience...," Validar tutted," Do you really want it that badly? This concerns me. The Gemstones and the Fire Emblem can be...treacherous artifacts. A fact Plegia and the Grimleal sadly know all too well..."

"Sadly?" Una winced at the sound of Lucina's voice behind them. Looks like she hadn't listened to them after all. She was starting to think about putting a bell on her," You speak ill of when the first exalt used them against the fell dragon?"

In a flash, the air shifted into a treacherous one," Yes I do, intruder!"

Lucina's eyes widened in panic, going so far as to take a few steps back," ...Intruder?"

"You and your army are not supposed to be here. You must be destroyed!"

Chrom instinctively placed himself as a barrier between his daughter and the King of Plegia, his voice seething," You wouldn't dare!"

"Give me the Fire Emblem!" He cried, lunging towards the pair of blue haired royals. Both Una and Frederick were fast to parry, preventing the man from doing them any harm," You can either give me the Emblem or your lives!"

Una shot a glance behind them, growling when she spotted the shadows growing closer. The reinforcements were coming fast, and if they didn't run now, they would be outnumbered. Lucina shouted," You mad scoundrel! This is a declaration of war!"

"I will only ask one last time: give me the Emblem. Now!"

Chrom turned to Una, who sent back a confident nod. The quickest escape route would definitely be swarmed with risen, so they were going to have to take the long way. It looked like studying up on the castle's infrastructure was finally going to come in handy," Never."

Validar let out an inhuman growl," Then this parley is over. Guards! Seize them!"

Una took this as her signal, busting open her Thoron tomb to shoot at the soldiers that had attempted to ambush them," Chrom, this way! Quickly!"

With the opening, the four of them took off towards the rest of the Shepherds. Judging by the commotion from ahead, word had traveled fast. It looked like they weren't going to get out of here without a fight," We have to get out of here now!" Chrom commanded as they reached the rest of their group," Cut down anyone who gets in the way!"

0-0-0

Una had a really bad feeling about this.

The closer they got to the exit she mapped out, the more familiar the terrain became. She had seen these halls, these soldiers, this scenario. It felt like she was re-living it instead of experiencing it for the first time. She felt a steady hand on her back, pulling her from her head to look up at it's owner," We're almost there, Una," Chrom stated, the door just in sight," The exit is just-."

Realization hit her like a sack of bricks," Chrom, we need to-."

Her heart dropped when she caught the unreadable expression clouding his features," Wait. Do you feel..."

Without warning, Validar appeared and shot a burst of dark magic at the man. Chrom was knocked off his feet onto the ground, groaning as he tried to prop himself back up. Lucina was quick to come back to his side and help him up, no doubt recalling the Exalt in her world with a bad arm," Father!"

Una bit back a growl as she leaned down, looping her arm around his back to help him onto his feet with Lucina. She knew better than to try and escape him; he was waiting for them to make a move so he could knock them out," Come out, Validar."

Said man emerged from the shadows, a smirk clear on his face," Run all you like—you can't escape fate. Don't you know that?" The man held his hand out smugly, just like she remembered," The Fire Emblem. Give it freely, or it will be taken."

She was tempted to just give it to him to avoid the inevitable. This was all going according to her plan, and as much as she wanted to take the easy way out, Una knew that handing the emblem over would be too simple. He would grow suspicious, and poor Chrom wouldn't know what to think," Just try it!"

"Heh heh... I won't need to do anything...Una!"

Oh gods.

Una's clenched her hands into fists just as the blinding pain drowned her. She thought it had been bad enough in her dream, but the real-life agony that his power over her was incomparable. She leaned against a nearby pillar to keep from hitting the ground, clutching her head to try and soothe the pounding in her skull. She gritted her teeth as the corners of her vision began to fade into a familiar, murky purple. She needed to prevent this from happening. She needed to protect her friends," Nngh...Chrom, I'm—Ahh!"

"Una!" Just as she had done earlier, she felt him slip an arm underneath her shoulders to help regain her footing," Are you okay?"

The next words pierced through her brain," _Seize the Emblem and bring it to me._ "

"Nngh, no, I...Ahh!" She shrieked, the pain much more unbearable when she tried to fight his grip on her. Every inch of her skin was burning. With what little control she had, she pushed Chrom away," I—I can't-," All at once, the feeling of someone tying a string to her spine and yankin her up to stand straight rushed back. Una desperately tried to move her arms, panic setting in when she realized she no longer had control over her body," Oh gods…"

Her fear doubled as her body began to hobble over, one foot at a time. This was one hundred times worse than her dream, what with Chrom and Lucina watching her in horror,"...What are you...," His sentence was cut off when she lunged forward, pulled the Emblem from his grasp,"-doing?!"

Instead of having her toss the emblem like a hot potato as she did in her dream, Validar simply spun her around and had her begin the trek back to him. No, this wasn't supposed to happen! He hadn't kept control over her in his dream! Gods, what if he didn't release her? She felt tears begin to streak down her cheeks as she fought against his control, her face contorted in a pain unlike anything she had felt before. Validar merely rose his eyebrow at her struggled as he deposited her directly in front of him," Not as clever as you thought, hmm?" He mocked before reaching out and plucking the treasure from her grip," Well done, my child. At last, the Fire Emblem belongs to me. And with my Gemstone, it is complete! Now to set the table and prepare the rite!"

As soon as he released his hold over her, everything went black.

0-0-0

"Una!" Chrom barely paid attention to Validar disappearing in a puff of smoke, instead sliding onto his knees in the nick of time to catch his unconscious friend," Una! Wake up! Una!" The blue haired man frantically searched her body before deciding on her wrist, pulling the limp limb up to press his fingers against. His entire being visibly relaxed when he felt her steady heartbeat," She's only unconscious, thank Naga."

Lucina, who's eyes were wide with fear, managed a nod before shooting her head towards the opposite end of the hallway," He sent more reinforcements!"

"Damn you, Validar!" Gods, how could he be so stupid?! He should have listened to Frederick and left the emblem in Ylisse. At least then, Una wouldn't have been traumatized. But then again, it probably would have been stolen if he left it there as well. Emmeryn would be so disappointed in him, and he didn't even want to think about what he would have to tell the Shepherds.

His daughter's hand anxiously flitted over her Falchion's hilt," Father, they're coming!"

She was right. Now wasn't the time to wallow in self-pity. With one swoop, Chrom heaved Una's slack form over his shoulder," Let's go."

0-0-0

The tactician grumbled, her eyes still pressed closed. An aching pain throbbed at the back of her head unsympathetically, urging her to wake up. Then again, if she went back to sleep, the pain might go away. Una sighed and tried to shift, only to find that she couldn't move her body.

This new revelation pulled her out of unconsciousness. She blinked a few times to adjust to the setting sun, taking in the tent that surrounded her. Where was she? The last thing she could remember was leaving the Plegian capital when-

She grimaced and tried to rub the back of her head, only to stumble upon the same predicament that woke her up," Hey hey hey, take it easy," A voice murmured, paired with someone softly brushing their thumb against her temple," We didn't know if you were going to wake up."

Una halfheartedly brought her gaze up to meet Inigo's and startled when she spotted a black eye swelling onto his face," What happened to you?"

"Oh this? That's not important," He chuckled, though the worry laced in his tone was incredibly apparent," I'm a little more concerned about how you are feeling, darling. Chrom said you were attacked by Validar, and he carried you out of the capital like a sack of potatoes. You've been out for about six hours."

She hated how small her voice sounded when her next question came out," Is the spell still on me? I-I can't move my body."

Much to her horror, her boyfriend stifled a laugh," That's because Morgan is sleeping on you," Una blinked a few times before turning her attention to her son, who was half on the stool next to her cot and half sprawled on top of her. How had she not noticed before? Looks like Validar threw her off more than she initially thought," He refused to leave your side once they put you in the medical tent."

The tactician managed a tiny nod," A-Are we…?"

"We're back in Ylisse, safe and sound…for now," Inigo blew a tuft of hair from his face," All we have to do is get the Emblem back before Validar summons Grima. That sounds intimidating, but I'm choosing to look on the bright side of-."

"Una!" Without warning, Chrom, Frederick, Lucina, and Lissa all burst into the tent. She self-consciously sat up, unfortunately pushing Morgan off and waking him up in the process. While the gray haired boy groggily regained his bearings, Chrom switched spots with Inigo," Thank Naga you're alright."

She thought facing Inigo after everything she had done was hard enough, but seeing the area crowd with important figures made it a little hard to breathe. She shrank underneath the covers," I'm so sorry, Chrom. What I did...It's...it's unforgivable."

Una squeaked in surprise when the Exalt slapped a supportive hand on her back," Enough of that, Una. Save your energy for helping us track him down."

"What?! No, I...," Being in the bed suddenly seemed way too confining. She ignored how everyone instinctively moved to catch her as she pushed herself to her feet, probably expecting her to pass out again. Her head did spin a little, but she didn't let it show," You must leave me behind. He could use me again...I can't be trusted! This cursed blood in me must somehow give...my father...dominion over me..."

Morgan furrowed his eyebrows, confused by the sudden commotion that woke him from his nap," Your father? You have a dad?"

"No—yes—I don't know," Una tried her best to explain," Biologically, yes. But, I have a feeling he's only trying to use me, so I will never consider him as such."

Lissa saw right through her disguise and wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her to keep steady," And you said he can control you? Is it dark magic?"

"…I think so."

"But he never had full control...," Una tilted her head at Chrom as he spoke. He was right, in a way, but Validar had won out in the end. Did…did he have a plan? Una motioned for him to continue on," You can fight it, Una. And if he expects you to blindly obey, that might be the surprise we need."

The purple haired girl pressed her lips into a thin line," Chrom, you...you put too much faith in me."

Frederick shook his head in disagreement," Get back on that horse, Una. You can't give up now!"

"That's right!" Lissa chimed in," And if it's dark magic like we think, we can ask Henry and Tharja about it! They might have some input that could help us gain the upper hand!"

"But you're not listening! I told you, I'm not-."

Chrom held up his hand to silence her," The deed is done, but you can still try to undo the damage. It's not too late!"

Una's eyes flickered from each person in the room. They had all done so much for her, and she couldn't let them down. They were right; all they needed to do was come up with a plan. She bit her lip," Alright. I'll...I'll try."

"That's the Una we all know and love," Chrom turned to the rest of the occupants and waved towards the exit," Let's go and let Una get some sleep. We've got a long couple of days ahead of us."

Most everyone had begun to file out of the tent at that point, all bidding their farewells; Frederick told her to rest for tomorrow, both Lissa and Morgan hugged her, and Chrom murmured a quick," It will be alright. I have faith in you," before following them out. Una couldn't help but notice Lucina linger a little longer than the rest, an unreadable sheen clouding her eyes. It was only when her father placed a hand on her shoulder that she followed him out.

Una grabbed Inigo's hand before he could take his leave," Wait, do really have to go?"

He blushed slightly at the contact. It seemed that no matter how long they were together, the brunet would always find something to get flustered about," Of course. I'm sorry about all of them. We're lucky they stayed out of the tent for as long as they did."

"What do you mean?"

"I figured you'd want some space to gather your thoughts when you awoke, so I brought up that rule Chrom set about 'only significant others and family members are allowed in'," Inigo chuckled," You should have seen the look on his face! The irony was too good to pass up."

Una's gaze flickered back up to his black eye," He punched you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he punched me," The mercenary still pumped his fist in victory," But it was worth it! I didn't cry in front of him or anything!"

"I'm so proud," The purple haired girl giggled, thankful that her boyfriend was distracting her from the heavy matter at hand," But how are you supposed to win his heart if you play with his affections like that?"

He hummed in mock thought, teasingly reaching around her waist to pull her closer," Now that I know he doesn't like tea, I may propose stargazing. What do you think?"

Una happily wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed," Sounds romantic. If only a girl like me had someone planning dates for her like Chrom."

Inigo's chest vibrated as he chuckled," I think I may know a guy who can help you. However," He tipped his head towards the exit of the tent," Dinner should be prepared soon. Are you feeling up towards going?"

"Yes, but…," Without the presence of anyone else in the tent, she finally took the chance to snuggle closer into his embrace. Deep down, she knew that everything was going to be okay and that the Fire Emblem was in good hands. Despite this, Una couldn't ignore the suffocating feeling that something was very, very wrong," Can you hold me a bit longer?"

She felt him freeze up for a second before wordlessly tightening his hug.

0-0-0

Despite Inigo's comfort and Lissa's attempts to lighten the mood, Una couldn't shake her anxiety after dinner. She managed to play it off by saying she was tired, but as soon as she was out of reach from everyone around her, she wandered off to gather her thoughts. Why was it that her dream nearly predicted the future? Of course, Lucina hadn't been present in the nightmare and Validar did extend his control over her, but those details were easy to overlook when approaching the full picture. She could say that at least her dream about Basilio was thankfully wrong, but for a long time, it seemed to have been a premonition. What if her dream about Chrom…

"Beg pardon, Una. Might I have a word?"

Una glanced up, surprised to find herself in a golden field. How far had she walked? Damn, she should have been paying attention to her surroundings instead of dwelling in her worries.

The purple haired girl turned around, surprised to find Lucina staring at her from behind. She would have been relieved if the girl didn't wear the same clouded expression from earlier,"...Lucina. What is it?"

The princess sighed, her right hand gripping Falchion's hilt like it was the only thing keeping her from floating away," It's about my father. I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before…before he died."

Una swallowed, the questions she had been pondering from earlier floating back into her brain. Either Lucina could read minds or the tactician was in for a rude awakening," I see."

Lucina shifted back and forth fretfully before facing away altogether, instead focusing on the tall grass waving in the light breeze. Every word came out as if it pained her to recall," He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him. People say he was brave right up until the very end. I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do...I can see that the world will be robbed of a very great man," The blue haired girl stiffened,"...I won't allow that to happen."

"I understand. You love him," Una's gaze flickered back towards the tree line. Something felt very wrong," ...We all do."

"Una, I...," The Princess took a deep breath," Please, forgive me."

She didn't know what she had been expecting, but watching Lucina spin around and point Falchion at her chest was definitely at the bottom of that list. Her hands immediately flew up in defense," L-Lucina?"

"Stay where you are, Robin! I have no choice. I must kill you."

"What?!" Una ignored her warning and stumbled backwards, her pupils darting around their surroundings. Was this an ambush? She could only pray that the Princess was alone, because she was going to have a hard enough time trying to talk her down. If anyone else came, Una would be outnumbered," What's going on?"

Despite trying to keep a tough exterior, she could see Lucina's eyes water," In my future, you...You are my father's murderer."

If the young woman had stabbed her, Una was sure the pain would have been less severe than her statement. Suddenly, everything was clicking together like a puzzle; Her dream had predicted this, just like it predicted Basilio's battle and Validar's control over her. Worst of all, she was stupid enough to try and ignore it," No…"

"I was not certain myself, until today...," Lucina haphazardly wiped at her cheeks, the pain of the memory trying desperately to slip through the emotionless mask she was putting on," I knew he had been killed by his closest friend. Having witnessed your bond with him, I doubted it could be so...But today's events make it clear. You are at Validar's mercy. I suspect it's he who forces you to take my father's life, a-and very soon."

…But wait. If what Lucina was saying was true, it meant that there was a chance to change the future. Warning Basilio had been enough to spare his life, switching out the emblems proved to be a tactically sound idea, and now, with the knowledge that Validar would try to use her to kill Chrom, she could save his life.

For a split second, Una forgot the circumstances she was in and spun to take off to set up a strategy. It was only when she felt a hand grip the back of her dress and roughly throw her onto the ground that everything became very real," Lucina, wait-."

She was cut off by a sword getting pointed at her throat," If my father is right, then we can change our fates. If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made," Lucina's voice wavered," I am sorry, Una! I know this is murder, I...I know that..."

Una's eyes widened in horror. She was really serious about this, wasn't she? She flattened herself against the ground, trying to put as much distance between herself and Falchion as possible," Lucina, you don't have to-."

"Don't make it harder!" The blue haired girl cried," Don't resist, and your death will be swift and painless. If you hold any love for Chrom, then let this be done..."

Una shook her head. How on earth was she supposed to explain this to her? It would most likely sound like the ravings of a mad woman trying to distract her opponent from their target. If she was going to accomplish anything, she would need to talk her down," I love Chrom, Lucina, just like you. But this isn't the way to change the future."

"I understand...," Lucina took a few steps back before raising her weapon," Then we shall let battle have the final judgment!"

"NO!"

One second, the sword was swinging down towards her. The next, Una was staring up at a empty sky. The tactician immediately pushed herself up, her heart stopping in her chest when she saw who intercepted.

Morgan was sitting on top of Lucina, trying desperately to wrestle her onto the ground," Mother, run! I'll fend her off!"

Una didn't waste any time racing forward, forcing her arms underneath his shoulders, and yanking her son off of the princess," What are you doing?!"

"Mother, get out of here!" He screamed, frantically squirming to slip out of her grip. The purple haired girl shot a brief glance to Lucina, who was quickly regaining her bearings and starting to get to her feet again. If she was as desperate as she seemed, there was a possibility that she wouldn't let anyone stand in her way.

Not even Morgan.

"No, you're the one that needs to go," Una begged, trying her best not to let her son slip out of her grasp," Promise me that if I let you go, you will return to camp."

Her son grunted as he attempted to escape," Mother, you could die!"

"So could you!" The tactician held him closer, tears stinging eyes. She wanted desperately to believe that Lucina wouldn't harm her son, but the young woman was unpredictable right now. If Morgan charged her again, she wouldn't hesitate fighting back," I need you to be safe!"

"And—And I need y-you to be alive!"

"Enough!"

The commotion was brought to a dead silence when the Exalt himself ran between the three, holding his hands out like he was calming a herd of wolves. Una thanked the gods when Morgan stopped wriggling, but kept her hold just in case. Lucina, on the other hand, didn't seem to take his orders as easily," Father, you don't-."

"Lucina, lower your sword."

"But, Father-."

"LOWER YOUR SWORD!"

The trio jumped at his authoritative tone. Judging by the look on her face, Una was starting to think Lucina would fight through her father to kill her. It was only when she dropped Falchion on the ground and murmured," Al…alright," That the tactician finally allowed herself to breathe.

Una loosened her grip on her son and opened her mouth to apologize, only to get swept into a deep hug. Any notion to berate his reckless behavior evaporated the moment she saw his back quiver with sobs," I-I'm sorry, mother. I just—I almost lost y-you once today, a-and—and I couldn't let—I wasn't going to-."

"Shh, it's okay," She soothed shakily, bringing her hands up to smooth comforting circles onto his back," I'm okay. Nothing's going to happen."

"Y-You're all I have, mother," Morgan choked out," I don't know wh-what I'd do if something happened t-to you."

That explained why he was so adamant at staying by her bedside earlier that day. Una mentally berated herself for not considering her son's feelings sooner," Don't worry. It's okay, I promise."

Lucina and Chrom watched the scene unfold in front of them quietly, the former's face turning more and more white by the second,"...I can explain."

"There's no need. You're not the only one who can eavesdrop," Chrom sighed, bringing his hand up to rub his eyes tiredly," I heard every word. Lucina, I know your heart is in the right place. But I trust Una. You cannot shake my faith in her."

The teenager's voice rasped," This is not about trust! She'll be the death of you!"

"No, she won't," Chrom crossed his arms," I know Una. She and I have held fast through good times and ill. We swore to be two halves of a greater whole. You underestimate the strength of those ties, the bonds we share. I believe in them more than some foretold 'destiny'."

"That is easier to say when you haven't seen it yourself..."

"But you haven't seen it either!" The two adults startled when Morgan pulled himself away and pointed his finger at the princess," How can you say all these things when you haven't seen them for yourself?! How can you accuse her-."

Una placed a hand on her son's shoulders," That's enough, Morgan."

"But-," He quieted underneath the scrutiny of her raised eyebrow," All I'm trying to say is that the future can be changed."

Chrom nodded, giving the boy a speck of perk," I couldn't agree more. Lucina, aren't our ties stronger here now than they were in your future? You said so yourself. In this flow of time we are bound tighter than ever, you and I. Not just as father and daughter, but as friends. We can change things—we already have, and we will again."

After what felt like an eternity, Lucina bobbed her head,"...Very well, Father. I would ask your forgiveness, Una, but I cannot expect it."

She waved her hands distractedly. As dangerous as this entire encounter had been, the removal of her threat left her room to focus on a new plan," I do forgive you, Lucina. You needn't worry about it."

"I apologize to you as well, Morgan."

He merely huffed," Just don't do it again."

Lucina's eyes dropped, the tone of his voice making his words ring hollow. It looked like gaining Morgan's trust back was going to be easier said than done," I pray...That is, I trust that all of you will prove me wrong. And that this future will fall to pieces before your bond ever would."

With that said, Chrom motioned for the group to head back to camp. Lucina walked ahead of the group, no doubt wrestling with her morals in her head. Morgan followed shortly after, and while he did cover his motivations with a pep in his step, Una was sure it was to keep an eye on the Princess. Chrom was about to take his own leave when the purple haired girl reached out and pulled him back," Una, I'm sorry about that. You know I trust you, don't you?"

"Of course I do, and I was being truthful when I said I was willing to put this entire ordeal behind us," Her friend would have smiled in relief, but she could see curiosity spark in his eyes at the sight of her mind whirring," I actually need to talk to you about something else entirely."

"What is it?"

Una pressed her lips in a thin line, knowing that Chrom was going to have to be in on the plan if they were going to change fate," Well for starters, Validar doesn't have the real Fire Emblem."

* * *

 **Boy oh boy, we've got a lot happening here. I feel like I say that for every chapter now, haha, but I guess it always fits the context. I want to start off by saying I was pretty indifferent about Severa before writing this chapter, and now I'm really excited to incorporate her more! I guess that's a good thing, seeing that she is going to become a very important character later in the story. Basically, her and Una are becoming best friends and no one can convince me otherwise. Una's dream came true, and while some things were different, Validar did end up taking the (fake) emblem. Oh, and just so you know, if this was a modern setting I would have written this part in this way:**

 _ **By the time they had reached Validar and Aversa, Una had already concocted three escape plans," Prince Chrom! Welcome. I see you've brought your friends along with you," He nodded darkly at Una," Daughter."**_

 _ **She only flipped him off.**_

 **Una put up more of a fight in this version, seeing that she knew what was going on, and it took a lot more out of her than she anticipated. And, oh god, Chrom got a perspective. It was only for three paragraphs, but by god he got one! That is probably the last time he'll get one, lol. Una put together that her nightmares predict the future, and now she's definitely going to use that to her advantage. How is this happening? I think I share this opinion with others and probably the game itself, but her nightmares are the memories of Lucina's version of Una. I will get more into that and why things are changing so drastically from what she predicts, so you'll have to stick around! And finally, we got a surprise appearance from Morgan in Lucina's confrontation! I was strongly considering putting Inigo in there as well, but I honestly don't think he could ever forgive Lucina for that. And of course, we've got Chrom getting in on Una's master plan.**

 **Before review time, I wanted to say that Soleil's hair is going to be purple like Una's! All of you agreed that this was the right hair color for her, and I couldn't be happier! Thank you all for your feedback! Okay, now it's review time:**

 **Leisercom : Thank you for your review! And as much as I love Soleil with pink hair, you are completely right. She's Una's daughter after all! At least one of her children should inherit her hair. I think that it's funny that she's going to get her hair and her lack of dance skills from her mom, haha. **

**Lance Eterna:** **You were so close with your prediction! I read that and was like _Oh my gosh, they're reading my mind._ Oh my god, Lucina lucked out by not getting Soleil (as much as I WANT HER TO BE IN THE STORY ALREADY). We saw how Morgan reacted above, Inigo probably would have had a breakdown (he looks up to Lucina a lot, so having her try to kill his girlfriend would be the ultimate betrayal), and Soleil would have just jumped straight into battle. Morgan and Soleil are in the "Protect our Parents" squad. Thanks for the review! **

**Bryuu:** **Woohoo, purple hair! I'm really excited about the concept now that everyone's on board with it, because that means Soleil's hairstyle is also getting a backstory. And thank you! Oh my gosh, seeing the three of them dance together would be amazing! Olivia and Morgan would definitely have to coax Inigo into doing it, haha! Thank you for the review!**

 **DavianThule19:** **Thank you for your review! And yes, we are knee deep in drama! Things just keep stacking on top of each other at this point. And yes, Soleil's appearance is coming soon! I think there's about three chapters left in this part of the story before we move onto the next one. I just love Soleil's dynamic and cannot wait to put it in with the rest of her family (especially Morgan. The two of them are really close and I can't wait to write about it!). I'm excited for Severa/Selena to be in the story more too! Once we get to Nohr, we'll be seeing a lot more of her!**

 **Okay, so if you guys read any of the review responses, you might have seen that there is only about three chapters left in this part. That means I'm going to skip over some story parts (like the first battle against Aversa and probably most of the Naga chapter) because I want to focus on the nitty gritty stuff. Big things are happening in the next chapter, because we have finally reached the table! You all know that once we get there, thing's are going to get crazy. Do you guys have any predictions? I love reading what you guys think, and sometimes your ideas inspire me! I'll give a little hint now, for fun: Morgan and Inigo are going to have a big moment together in the next chapter (that's what I'm the most excited about!). Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey guys! WE'RE AT THE TABLE, BABIES! Okay, so this chapter is one I've been excited about for a really long time! I think that the development that happens in this (and will be tied up in the next chapter) is probably one of the biggest parts in this half, so I hope you're all ready. To recap, the Shepherds went to Plegia and were branded as traitors. Una predicted Validar would take control of her and switched the Emblems ahead of time, but still managed to lose control of herself when he took over her body. Lucina, seeing this, decided to try and take out Una to protect her father. Morgan stepped in and stopped it from getting too far, but the whole ordeal made Una realize that her nightmares actually predicted the future. She decides to let Chrom in on her plan, and that's where we left off! We're picking up a few hours after we ended the last chapter. Happy reading!**

* * *

Una held up the pendent in front of her eyes, watching the gem reflect the light from the fire in front of her," And you're sure this will counteract the curse?"

Tharja's eyes darkened playfully," Positive."

"She's right!" Henry chipped in," There's no more CAWS for worry!"

She released the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and clasped the jewelry around her neck, unsure if the wave of warmth came from the magic or her own relief," How can I ever repay the two of you?"

"…If you're asking, I want a lock of your-."

Henry cut her off before she could finish," Aww, it's no big deal! You're always there for us, so it's our turn to be there for you! I'll just use my imagination to see how long you'd last in a confining curse before your bones turn to dust and you die," He ended off with a giggle, something that would have deeply unnerved Una a couple of years ago. Now, she simply tucked the pendent underneath her dress and smiled.

"Thank you both," Una bit back a yawn and glanced up at the moon, surprised to find it high in the night sky. When she initially approached the pair to help her make a counter curse, she expected them to put something together in the morning. She was so shocked when they automatically set to work that she decided to keep them company, watching in interest as they did their jobs. Honestly, it made her feel a little bad for not being able to pitch in," You deserve some sleep."

After some persuading for Tharja's part, Una sent the dark mages off to rest before their big battle tomorrow. She would have called it a night herself if not for the jitters thundering in her chest keeping her awake. Yes, she had a plan, and yes, Chrom was in on it now. It was just a matter of everything playing out the way she predicted it to. She rubbed her arms pensively; after what happened to Emmeryn three years ago, she knew she couldn't get too comfortable.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the pair of footsteps approaching," Do you ever sleep, my love?"

Una didn't even turn around, knowing automatically who it was," Do you?"

"Touché," The purple haired girl felt herself relax as Inigo's body slid down next to hers, his arm flush against her side. It reminded her of that night all those weeks ago when he initially offered to help with her nightmares. He probably hadn't known it at the time, but it was the night she realized she had feelings for him," Are you worried you'll have another nightmare?"

Una only sighed as a response. The epiphany she had earlier that day that her nightmares were not figments of her imagination came both as a comfort and a curse. If she went to sleep and had another dream, it could help her prevent another disaster from happening. She just wasn't sure she had the capacity to see the disaster in the first place anymore.

Inigo took her silence as a 'yes' and gently reached over, tipping her head so that it rested in the crook of his neck. She didn't even try to fight it, focusing her energy on diverting the subject instead," You smell bad."

"Gee, thanks," He snorted," I guess I should have hopped into a bath before heading over here. I just didn't want you to be alone for too long. You get too much in your own head when that happens."

 _Divert the subject_ ," We could share a bath together, you know."

"Wh-What?!" She could feel the skin of his neck heat up at the very suggestion," Una, we couldn't! We're not even married yet! Do you know what Chrom would do to me if he found out?" He ran his hand through his hair anxiously," It's not that I wouldn't enjoy sharing a bath with you. Y-You're very beautiful, even if I haven't seen—Not that I think about things like that! I know everyone thinks I'm a pervert, but I try my best to be a gentleman! Not that you're not worth thinking about in that way—You know what? I should probably stop talking," He let out a small laugh," I apologize, Una."

 _Una, we couldn't! We're not even married yet! Do you know what Chrom would do to me if he found out?_

 _We're not even married yet!_

…yet?

Una prided herself in being able to conceal her blush to mainly her ears, but she was sure she turned bright red from head to toe. Inigo wanted to marry her. It didn't matter to him that their relationship sullied their reputations, nor that she had a son that could possibly be the product of another man. She knew that Inigo loved her, and she loved him more than anything. Una wanted nothing more than to marry him, but she had no idea that he felt the same. The thought made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

She suddenly didn't care how sweaty he was and snuggled closer, deciding to keep his little slip up to herself," So what were you doing? Training?"

"Dancing," He murmured, his voice still flustered from their last topic," I didn't really get to practice when we were confined on that ship, and the weather is nicer by the border than it is in Ylisstol. I figured I'd rehearse while the night is clear."

Una nodded, lazily observing his fingers as they fiddled with a blade of grass," You should have told me. I would have loved to watch."

Much to her chagrin, Inigo choked," Oh, I don't know about that. I'm not that good, you see, and I don't want to let you down. That would be horrifying!"

"I would enjoy it even if you tripped over yourself the entire time," The purple haired girl coaxed. At some point her hand had settled itself onto his thigh, and now her thumb was absently rubbing circles onto the fabric of his pants," I want to support you, and when Morgan dances again, I'll support him too."

She felt the air grow quiet, leaving only the hum of cicadas to fill the silence,"…So you know about that."

Una bobbed her head," Olivia told me about it a couple of weeks ago. She said he was very talented and knew her dance to a T," That wasn't all Olivia divulged. This had been the same night they docked, right after she and Lon'qu returned from their little trip. The pink haired woman pulled her aside and told her about Morgan's abilities, Inigo's reaction to the news, and something she admitted she kept to herself up until that point; she said that there was a possibility that Morgan's gray hair, the biggest factor against Inigo's case, could have still come from him. She said that for some reason, pink hair seemed to be a rare trait in her family. Gray hair was actually what both her mother and father sported.

That was the final nail in the coffin for Una, but judging by how non-receptive Inigo was to the initial news, she wasn't sure how well he'd take it. Being a father at seventeen was a scary concept, especially since they weren't even married.

… _Yet._ Una bit back a giddy smile.

"You know, he asked me about it," She was brought back to reality when Inigo spoke up," Did…Did you tell him that I dance?"

Una furrowed her eyebrows," No, I haven't told anyone. Maybe Olivia told him?"

"Yes, maybe, but-," She felt his shoulders rise with a deep breath," I feel like he remembered it. It's just that…I don't remember him. At all, actually," Inigo's voice came out shaky, his words conveying something entirely different than his tone," I…I feel like I would remember him."

Even though she was running on very little sleep and had one of the longest days of her life, Una suddenly felt wide awake," What are you saying?"

Una pushed herself up off his shoulder, stunned by the jubilant gleam in his eyes," I don't know how many more coincidences I can accept, Una."

"…Inigo, do you think Morgan is your son?"

0-0-0

The table was less inviting than Una predicted, which didn't seem possible. The hoards of blind worshippers outside the building was terrifying in itself, and fighting Aversa was not a pleasant experience either. If Validar was planning all along to wear them down before their final battle, a twisted part of Una would be impressed for his foresight.

Chrom evidently did not feel the same, because he all but exploded once the man was in his vision," Validar!"

Her father merely smirked in return, regarding the Exalt as if he were a child on the street," Chrom. Come to witness the glorious culmination of your failure? How nice. I have the Fire Emblem, and the Dragon's Table is set for a feast. I will return Grima to this world, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"You'll _destroy_ the world! Lucina has seen it!"

"Then I pray today's spectacle lives up to her nightmares!" What little admiration she had gained for the man vanished in a second. He knew that the world was going to fall into shambles and still _chose_ to try and resurrect the god of death?! Only an insane man would agree to that, and Validar had gone above and beyond," The Awakening rite is not only for exalts and Naga, you know. With it, I'll arouse Grima! The fell dragon needs only a mortal vessel, which you so kindly brought along..."

Una could only watch helplessly at the man's stare landed directly on her, followed by the confused looks of her cohorts. She felt sick when the reality of the situation sank in,"...Oh, gods. He means me."

She wanted nothing more than to punch the smug expression off his face," You ken quickly, Una. That's my girl. You carry my blood—the blood of the fell dragon. His soul slumbers within you. And now the time has come to awaken you both!"

"Wh-what?! I'm Grima? _I'm the fell dragon_?!" Oh gods, if she was meant to be a vessel for Grima, it secured her and Lucina's predictions. Validar intended for her to kill Chrom that night and set the Halidom ablaze. It meant…it meant she was the one that murdered everyone. She was the one that terrorized the future children. Una felt her heart stop; she was the one that ruined Inigo's life. The thought alone made her shake her head wildly," No! Never! I'll die first!"

Validar brushed off her refusal and sauntered forward, only to get cut off by Chrom. He simply looked past the man to continue his explanation," The Grimleal have worked for generations to create someone like you... A vessel worthy of our master. Simply having Grima's blood in your veins is not enough. My father was not worthy, nor was his father before him. Even I was not able to accept Grima's most sacred gift. But you?" He scoffed out a laugh," You had all the makings. You were perfection!"

She pressed her hands over her ears, futilely trying to drown him out. Why hadn't her dreams predicted this?! The purple haired girl practically screamed," N-no! Don't say that!"

"If your damnable mother hadn't been seized by weakness and fear! She betrayed us—stole you from your crib, and fled with you in the night! I know naught of your life thereafter; but all that matters is your return. That you are here is _proof_ of your purpose! It is why you still draw breath!"

"You've proven nothing but your own madness!" Una felt a pair of strong hands grip her shoulders and spin her around to face them," We are going to stop this, Una," Chrom assured so confidently that she almost believed it," This can be stopped. Validarwill be stopped!"

The man rolled his eyes in response," You may have killed me in some future past, but I am stronger this time! With the power of the Dragon's Table flowing through me, I am unstoppable."

"You're not the only one stronger this time! Right, Una?" The blue haired man grew quiet as he turned back to his friend,"...Una?"

Despite her best efforts, her gaze kept flickering back towards Inigo and Morgan in the distance. Had they heard everything? Oh gods, she didn't want to imagine what would happen if Validar won out and she did become Grima's vessel. She shakily brought her eyes back to her own hands, wondering if the best answer was to just put an end to everything before-

She was roughly shaken from her stupor when Chrom grabbed her hands, his voice low and calming," Stay with me, Una. You're not beholden to this fiend. You can fight it," Una felt her lip wobble at his encouragement. How was it that he could read exactly what she was thinking and respond with what she needed to hear? His stare remained resolute," We've all seen how strong you are—We've seen what you're capable of! Don't let him shake your resolve!"

"C-Chrom, I...," The eighteen year old squeezed her eyes shut," I don't know."

"Enough!" The pair were rudely forced back to face the matter at hand," This sorry display ill befits the heir to our master's power. And you, Prince—your sad poem sounds lovely, but it will not alter destiny."

Unfortunately for him, Validar's mockery had the opposite effect he had hoped for. Una's eyes popped back open, her brows narrowed into a glare as she declared," They're more than just words!"

The man tensed at her authoritative tone. It was almost as if he hadn't expected her to fight back. If anything, that pissed her off even more," Be still now, my daughter..."

"My life did not begin with you! It began the day Chrom found me in that field. I have been all over this world, and I have helped change it—for the better. I have fought and laughed and bled with my friends, and _that_ is what matters!" She felt a tired smile creep onto her face as she recalled all the memories she had made over the past three years: Lissa chasing her with frogs, Chrom and Sumia tripping over themselves as they confessed, teaching Maribelle slang, and running from Gaius as he tried to bribe her into keeping his secret. Pelting Lon'qu with figs, meeting baby Owain for the first time, trying to recover memories with Morgan, sharing her first kiss with Inigo after they confessed; She wouldn't give any of it up for in a million years," The ties we forged, the bonds we share—they are of a power greater than Grima."

Validar faltered, giving Una all she needed to know not everything was lost yet. He was pinning the success of his plan on her giving in, and there was no way she'd succumb," A ludicrous idea, as you will know better than anyone soon enough..."

Una let out a small laugh, her confidence swelling in her chest at his unease. Oh, how the tables have turned," We do agree on one thing: my life so far has all been in preparation for this moment...," She withdrew her Killing Lance," When I kill you or die trying!"

"Heh heh heh. You have your father's courage, but your mother's judgment...," Validar pulled out a dark, purple tome of his own," Very well, pup. Come! Do your worst! Come at me with all you have! There is no damage I can do your body that the fell dragon cannot repair!"

Chrom was smiling so wide, Una was sure his face would split," This is it! Our final battle! You're one of us, una, and no "destiny" can change that. Now let's kill this dastard and be done with it!"

The purple haired girl was ready to reply in an equally confident manner when a large, purple border shot up directly behind them, cutting them off from the rest of the Shepherds. Una testily poked it, only to feel a sting shock her finger. Validar laughed at her attempt," So long as the dark barrier stands, no other soul can reach us," He opened his tome, the pages flipping wildly as dark magic began to manifest in his hands," Prepare to face your grim fate alone!"

0-0-0

Una and Chrom charged at Validar, trying hard to ignore their exhausted bodies to carry on the fight. The Exalt immediately began to spar head-to-head with their enemy, parrying the sparks of dark magic he sent in defense as he tried to get a hit in. Una flipped open her thunder tome, using her backup in stead of the broken killing lance on the ground. She was about ready to shoot the bolt when an explosion of dark mass erupted behind Chrom, who evaded it by diving forward. He used this advantage to swipe at Validar, only to have him disappear.

Before she could even think to ask, Chrom pointed towards the sky," Up there!"

Una followed his line of sight, only to find a jolt of ruin headed straight towards her. She leapt out of the way just in time, sending out a bolt of her own to try and knock the man off his guard. Just before it could hit him, he vanished in another cloud of smoke with a laugh," You fool!"

The purple haired girl pushed herself up, brown irises scanning the area furiously. Validar was really pulling all of his magic tricks out, his favorite by far seemed to be his little disappearing act. She had no doubt that the extra power given to him by the table was making this possible, but the longer she watched, the more she became confused. How was it that he could perform incantations without a tome?

She jumped just as a wave of blue energy sped past her and straight into Chrom, knocking him into a nearby pillar," Chrom!"

The man grunted, using Falchion to help get him onto his feet. Validar was on the ground now, raising his hand to attack while the Exalt was recovering. Una growled; that was a dirty move, even for him. The King of Plegia only laughed maniacally in response, his eyes wild with an unsteady energy," _Die_!"

Una didn't even think before running forward and directing a rod of thunder towards his attack. The two forms of magic collided forcefully, emitting a blinding white light that shot everyone in the vicinity off their feet. Una's body was thrown back, her shoulder skidding across the ground until it made impact with a pile of rubble. She grumbled and rubbed her arm, ignoring the burning pain to prop herself onto her hip. Once her eyes regained focus, she found Validar staring straight at her.

For a second, all the father and daughter could manage to do was breathe heavily. They both knew the stalemate they were at; Una had grown too powerful over the past few years, and with Chrom at her side, it appeared that Validar underestimated them. It was either that, or Validar was waiting for her to become weak enough to control.

Then, Validar's lips startled to curl up into an unsettling leer. Una rose her eyebrow in response, using this pause to stagger onto her feet. She was about to use the opening he gave her for an attack when he looked her dead in the eyes," Well, isn't today full of surprises?"

She held her guard up, but took the bait," What do you mean?"

"It seems you've failed to tell me you have a son," Just like that, her entire body ran cold," Why don't I send him a warm welcome?"

Una shook her head, tears already welling in the corners of her eyes. How had he figured that out? Could he read her mind too? She stumbled forward, trying to think of anything she could stay to stop him from what he was about to do," No, please not-."

" _Come my Grimleal_!" His eyes glowed red," _Kill the Vessel's son!"_

0-0-0

Morgan wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, gasping air in heavily as he surveyed his surroundings with tome in hand. He could hear Nah behind him, blowing out icy air at dozens of risen to freeze them in their place. He would have stopped to watch, but the last time that happened, he almost received an axe to the back. It served as a rude reminder that playtime was over, and he was either going to fight or die.

The gray haired boy let out an annoyed huff as his bolganone disintegrated in his hands. This was the third tome he had gone through in this battle alone, and it wasn't just because he was missing more than usual…okay, maybe it was. Despite this technically only being his second battle, Morgan couldn't help but feel off his game. It made him think about how many fights he had been in before this.

Seeing no other use for it, Morgan chucked the empty book cover at a nearby Risen's head. The object bounced off the dead creature, causing it to become alert. Morgan unsheathed his sword and prepared to dive forward to fight, only to pause. He didn't know how he felt it, but there was a definite shift in the air. He allowed himself the briefest second to glance around; Unless the Grimleal were engaged in combat, they had all frozen in their spot.

Then, they all turned to look at him.

Morgan stumbled back a few steps and rubbed his eyes, praying that he was just imagining how they all began to slow path towards him. A chime-like sound rang through the air, and the sound of Nah's boots clacking against the stone behind him brought his attention to the girl. Judging by the uneasy look on her face, she had noticed their approach as well," What are we going to do?"

He repositioned his weapon in his hands, hoping that his nerves weren't radiating off of him as much as he felt," You should go get backup with Brady. I'll fend them off until you get back."

Nah's entire body flinched at his suggestion," I'm not going to leave you here! What if you get hurt?"

 _…but what if she gets hurt?_ Morgan swallowed the confession. He couldn't say that to her. Yes, she was a dragon, but he had spotted a wyrmslayer in one of their opponent's hands. One swipe from that, and she'd be out for the count. Even if they both stayed, they would have to keep an extra close eye on Brady. He was barely trained in combat, and would be easily overwhelmed. Out of the three, Morgan was the best option to leave behind. He just needed to figure out how to convince them before they were all dead meat.

 _"Come on! Turn that frown upside down. Know what you have then? A smile! That's what my father taught me. If you can't smile? Stand on your head! That'll turn your frown upside down!"_

Morgan took a deep breath, before plastering on a smile," Don't worry about me, I'll be fine! This'll be a piece of cake!"

Nah and Brady shared uncertain glances before nodding," Be careful, pal."

The manakete stood up on her tiptoes to press a tiny kiss on his cheek," Stay safe."

"N-No problem!" He bit his tongue before he could stutter anymore, using every ounce of his being not to touch his face in disbelief. He cleared his throat as the pair blended into the crowd towards the rest of the Shepherds on offense, leaving him to defend his little corner until they returned. With them out of sight, Morgan tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword and grinned at the surrounding Risen," Bring. It. On!"

0-0-0

"YOU BASTARD!"

Una dove forward, only to get rocketed back by a surge of Waste. She brushed the acid from her ankle, ignoring the searing pain that came with it to get back onto her feet. _How dare he bring Morgan into this_? Her son was only a little over fifteen years old, and sending his entire army after him was a death sentence. Her fingertips crackled with thunder without even opening her tome," Una, why not give in?" Validar suggested mockingly," You only delay the inevitable, and if you submit, we may be able to spare your son's life."

The purpled haired girl shot forward a bolt of lightning, wanting nothing more than to end the man's life where he stood," Grima is a monster. They will murder him no matter what," She cracked her neck," I'd rather just kill you now and prevent the deaths from happening."

He tutted at her threat," Have you considered what happens should I fall? These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well...Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" Una narrowed her eyes," Humans are weak, pathetic creatures. Your "bonds" with them will bind you. You are destined for a greater purpose! The _greatest_ purpose! You are to be a _god_!"

"Not your god…," Validar's smug grin dropped when he was met with the dark aura radiating off of his daughter. She tossed her tome aside, her thunder crackling powerfully in the palm of her hands," not today."

0-0-0

"Agh!" Morgan hissed in pain, his hand meekly brushing over the long cut down his bicep. That was the fifth injury had received in less than ten minutes. His eyes flickered from the five approaching Grimleal to the Shepherds in the distance, worry gnawing away at his heart. Nah and Brady should have made it back by now. What if something happened to them? What if he sent them to their deaths?!

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud roar, giving him barely enough time to block an oncoming axe with the blade of his sword. Morgan's arms trembled underneath the strength of the attack, barely having enough energy to stop the momentum. Knowing he couldn't outmatch the enemy's strength, he instead forced his foot into the Risen's gut and pushed him away. The gray haired boy used this brief advantage to slice forward and end the opponent's life.

Morgan rubbed his right wrist as he backed away from the other four, only to notice an additional two approaching from behind. How many were there?! He had fought so many at this point that he lost count. They just kept coming. Over and over and-

He hopped out of the way of a sword just in the nick of time, but lost his footing and crumpled backwards onto the ground. The tactician frantically pushed himself up as fast as he could, but paid the price when the enemy's blade skidded just below his lip. He whined miserably and did his best to ignore the wound, parrying another attack just to swipe behind and defeat the swordsmen. How many down was that? Heck, how many _to go_ was that? Everyone was on the other side of the hall, approaching the Risen general to try and catch Validar off guard. If they ran, maybe they could make it back to defense in time to-

A white flash of pain shot through Morgan as something large collided with his gut, fully knocking him off his feet and into a pile of stone debris. His stomach prickled, pain consuming his body as if it were on fire. He released a shuddery gasp, only to curl back into himself. At least when he hit his head, he could sit it out. With an injury like this, it hurt to breathe.

Morgan wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eyes and shakily tried to prop himself up, only for his arm to give out on him and send his body back into the rubble. The risen were approaching. He needed to get up. He needed to-

The gray haired boy let out a cry as he rolled out of the way of an incoming axe, cracking the ground where he had just been lying. Using what little adrenaline the attack provided, Morgan struggled into a sitting position so that his back was against the wall. He trembled as he hugged his stomach with one hand, using the other to bring his sword up in anticipation for another block. Whatever Grimleal he was up against only laughed at the feeble attempt and knocked his weapon clean out of his grasp. Morgan whimpered as the man rose his axe and cried," Prepare to die for Grima!"

His heart nearly leapt out of it's chest at the sound metal deflecting metal," _Not today_!"

0-0-0

" _Not today_!" Inigo growled, using all of this strength to push the Grimleal away and impale them, waiting until they had fallen motionless before letting its body drop to the ground. He wiped the blood off his blade with a grimace before tilting his head back towards Morgan," You alright?"

The sound of Morgan's voice wavering made his heart shatter," I-Inigo?"

The brunet sank in relief," There's nothing to be afraid of anymore. I'm here," He had planned on keeping close to the divider just in case something happened to Una. She and Chrom were holding their own like seasoned pros, and it was becoming evident that they would win the battle.

That was until Validar pulled out the dirtiest move in the book.

Inigo hadn't really processed what happened between now and then, only that he took off into a sprint to protect the budding tactician. He was sure there were a few scrapes he picked up along the way, but his mind muddled everything that wasn't Morgan's safety out. He knew the gray haired boy was a talented soldier, but not even Frederick could fend off against the entire enemy army.

Then again, after hearing the unadulterated fear in Morgan's voice, Inigo felt like maybe he could.

The mercenary's irises jumped from one risen to another, counting exactly six headed towards them and undoubtedly more coming. It wasn't the worst situation he had found himself in before. _It's just like when you fought risen in future,_ he reminded himself halfheartedly, _easy-peasey._

"D-Dad…" Inigo felt the air leave his lungs when the boy let out a small, fatigued smile," I knew you'd come…"

Even though Morgan was barely keeping consciousness and a muddled mess on the floor, hearing those words gave Inigo the conviction to defeat every last Grimleal in his sight. He was going to protect his boy or die trying. His lips unconsciously curled into a grin of their own as he flipped his sword in the air, waving his hand for the Risen to come forward," Let's dance."

Two immediately set off towards him, which he easily dodged by ducking. His father always taught him to be two steps in front of the enemy, which meant staying light on his feet. Luckily, being a dancer helped with his agility. He spun around and swiped his sword through the backs of both Risen, watching cockily as they disappeared into puffs of smoke.

Anticipating another opponent trying to sneak behind, Inigo crouched down and tripped the Grimleal. He jumped onto his feet with just as much energy and dug the point of his blade into the man's collapsed form, retrieving the weapon just as fast to let him bleed out.

An oncoming battle cry warned him of his next adversary. If his son's life hadn't been on the line, Inigo probably would have made a quip at how easily he predicted the attack, but instead he just impaled the foolish soldier. He fought urge to gag as blood sprayed onto his face and moved on to the next Risen, parrying the spear out of the monster's grip and clear across the table. Knocking it off it's horse afterwards felt like child's play without their proper defense," Guess I win!"

Inigo dragged his hand down his face and flicked the mixture of blood and sweat to the side, eyeing another five soldiers approaching with a touch of mirth. No wonder Morgan was in the shape he was. How long had he been fighting like this without anyone by his side? Thinking about it for too long made Inigo queasy.

The brunet rolled his shoulder, swearing under his breath as the five slunk closer. He had lucked out before with either one-on-ones or attacks in pairs. Judging by the looks on their faces, it seemed that this was going to be five against one. His hand rubbed deeper into the crook of his neck as he analyzed the group. Two archers, two swordsmasters, and one warrior. Think; what would Una do?

His eyes slid towards a dispatched axe on the ground.

Bingo.

Without a second to lose, Inigo slid down and swiped the weapon up. He chucked it at one of the swordsmaster's head, tossing his sword back into his dominant hand and swiping forward to take out the other swordsman. He grabbed one of the archers by their shoulders and kneed him hard in the back, forcing his hands forward to grab the bow in his grip. He yanked the object back against the man's throat. The archer sputtered as he tried to escape his grasp, but Inigo ignored him as he stared at the other bowman. The brunet just managed to put together that he had released an arrow in time to duck, allowing the archer he was holding hostage to take the blow for him.

He pushed the new corpse off his body, his chest heaving as if it had weights on them. Three down; two to go. The archer shot another arrow right at him, this one grazing a deep cut into his right leg. Inigo bit back a grimace at the sting and dove forward, wrapping his arms around his opponent's legs. The pair tumbled onto the ground with Inigo on top. The mercenary used this to his advantage and drove his sword right into the archer's heart.

Inigo didn't get any time to celebrate, because the same hammer he watched throw Morgan to the side like a rag doll slammed straight into his back. He yelped in pain, gripping the hilt of his sword to keep him from collapsing onto the man he had just murdered. A deep grumble rose from his throat as he dug his Killing Edge from the body and swung it behind him, cutting the warrior's wrists just as he had reached above to strike Inigo again. The man cried out in misery at the surprise attack, dropping his hammer in the process.

The brunet used the opening to kick the weapon as far away as possible, thankful that the distraction gave him enough time to get back onto his feet. He quickly glanced over at Morgan to make sure he was still okay before turning back to the Grimleal. Much to his surprise, the man had brought up his fists," Come on. Fight like a man!"

Inigo was a gentleman who believed in fair fights. Raising a weapon against a defenseless person never sat right with him, even if necessity made him do so. He never wanted to imagine the look his mother would give him if she heard he broke the rules of a proper duel.

However, Validar was the one who broke the rules first. With Morgan lying on the ground in pain, his back hurting like hell, and blood covering half his face, Inigo decided that rules didn't apply anymore either. He shot forward with inhuman speed and stabbed the man with his sword, driving it in deeper and deeper until the Warrior stopped moving. Inigo retracted his blade and flicked it to the side, managing a small snort," I'm not an idiot."

He raised his sword to begin the duel against his next opponent when, without warning, all the Risen crumpled onto the ground. Inigo's chest heaved with heavy breaths as he stared at them, waiting for something to budge so that he could strike it back down. When it became apparent they weren't going anywhere, he wiped his face in relief. This was by no means over yet, but this eye of the hurricane was giving him the opportunity to check on his son. He kneeled by Morgan's side, decidedly ignoring the wave of pain in his back that accompanied it," You alright?"

The gray haired boy managed a worn nod," Is it over?"

Inigo glanced towards the barrier and the group of Shepherds crowding nearby it to watch what was going on inside. A part of him desperately wanted to join alongside them to make sure Una was okay, but he knew that making sure Morgan was safe was currently at the top of both their priorities," Not yet. Do you have an elixr?" The boy slowly shook his head," No worries, you can have mine."

The bottle was in his hands before he could even think to protest," Th-Thanks," Without warning, Morgan collapsed onto his back and huffed out a small breath of air," I think I might stay like this for a bit if that's okay."

Inigo felt his hand move on autopilot to stroke the boy's hair, too numb to process the overwhelming surge of parental love that rushed through him," Yeah. That's okay."

0-0-0

Una didn't care that her everything went according to plan. She didn't care that she outsmarted Validar, a man that was renown for his battle tactics. Heck, she barely managed an anxious smile when she watched Chrom push himself off the ground after his 'death'. Everything from Basilio taking the Emblem to Tharja and Henry's amulet protecting her from Validar's control was calculated to the precise dot. There was only one thing she hadn't considered, and now, he might be dead.

The moment she saw the border fall, she tore off into the battlefield to find her son.

Una scooped a silver lance off the ground as her feet slammed against the stone, impaling anything that got in her way. It was moments like these that she wished she could mount Winnie inside, but the room was too crowded to fit more than a couple flying Pegasuses inside. Knowing she would be the one to face Validar, she chose to leave her steed behind so that Sumia and Cordelia could mount theirs. Now, as she ran halfway across the table, her legs deeply regretted that choice.

The purpled haired girl nearly collapsed in relief when her eyes fell not only on Morgan alive and well, but Inigo helping him to his feet. She didn't take the sight in, instead bolting to throw her arms around her son's waste," You're okay!"

"AGH—Not if you hug me that tight—mom, I'm alright-," She backed up as her son wheezed in pain, taking in his worn down appearance; His chin was bleeding profusely, his coat and clothing were tattered, and judging by the way he held his stomach for support, he had broken a few ribs," Thanks. You…you're okay too!"

Una resisted the urge to tell him he was never allowed to go into battle again by crossing her arms worriedly," I'm sorry. It's my fault that you were targeted and if you weren't my son, you wouldn't be-."

"I'm fine," Morgan assured, though the strain in his voice told a completely different story," Inigo hopped in and saved me."

Una brought her glassy stare to her boyfriend. He seemed a little worse for the wear as well, but out of the three of them, he was in the best shape. If anything, he just looked exhausted," You did?"

"Of course, my lady," Through his fatigue, the brunet managed a small smile," Would you expect otherwise?"

 _Una pushed herself up off his shoulder, stunned by the jubilant gleam in his eyes," I don't know how many more coincidences I can accept, Una."_

 _"…Inigo, do you think Morgan is your son?"_

 _Inigo finally brought his gaze over to meet directly with hers, admitting with a watery voice," I want him to be."_

Una felt her own tears pool at the corner of her eyes, knowing now that no matter what, Inigo had fully accepted Morgan. It didn't matter if he was his son by blood or not; the mercenary was now Morgan's father. She stood up on her tiptoes to press a tender kiss against his lips, looking at the man as if he was the only person in the room when she pulled apart," Thank you, Inigo."

The little family reunion was interrupted by the surrounding risens' bodies convulsing, signaling that they'd return to battle mode as soon as Validar was in full power. The couple shared a confident look with each other before turning to Morgan behind them, who rolled his head with a cocky expression of his own. It didn't matter that they were from different times and possibly different kin; Inigo and Morgan were Una's family, and Validar could never change that," Let's finish this once and for all, shall we?"

* * *

 **LOTS TO UNPACK IN THIS CHAPTER. As usual, there was a bit in this chapter that I didn't antisipate being there. I always thought it was a little weird that the Avatar could just resist Validar's control after being powerless once, so I decided to put a little talisman in there courtesy of our favorite dark mages! I wanted Inigo and Una to chat a little before the battle because of Inigo's relationship to Morgan in this chapter. It's really important, and I wanted to set up the reveal for later. And now we're at the table! Initially, I was actually going to have the risen get sent after Inigo because Una's in love with him. However, I recently watched Spiderman Far From Home and decided that having the Grimleal go after Morgan would be MUCH MORE SCARY (I got my inspo from that scene with Mysterio and Spiderman. You know the one I'm talking about if you've seen it). Una was PISSED (bad move, Validar (also, I didn't really elaborate on it in the chapter, but he found out because Grima noticed the coat and put the pieces togehter)). This also really set up Morgan and Inigo's relationship to each other from this moment on. I don't want to talk too much about what that means because we're going to wrap that arc up in the next chapter, but as of now we know that Inigo really wants to be Morgan's dad. We also know that, whether it was intentional or not, Morgan called Inigo "dad". I think I've mentioned this before, but as of now Morgan is my favorite character. To think, I was worried about writing him! Oh, and we had another Soleil reference in this chapter! When Morgan comes up with the idea to ease his friends with a smile, we all know that came from his sister (I literally pulled that dialogue from her recruitment chapter). I think this chapter was one of Inigo's shining moments in this story. We've never really seen him fight before, but with having Lon'qu as his dad, he is sure to have picked up a couple of moves. He's not invisible, but damn, is he underrated as a fighter. I am REALLY looking forward to expanding on that once we get to Nohr. Review time!**

 **Leisercom:** **Thank you for your lovely comment! I can't wait for Soleil either! Of course I'm looking forward to her relationship with Inigo/Laslow and Morgan, but I'm also excited for her relationship with Una and (eventually) her grandparents! Having everyone interact with her is going to be so much fun, because she is way more extroverted than all of them combined. And thank you for pointing that out! For scenes like that, I usually copy the in-game dialogue and transfer it over, and I really missed the mark on editing that part of the chapter. It should be fixed now! Thanks!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **Oh my god, Soleil's reunion with Morgan is going to be so freaking emotional when it happens. I don't want to go too much into it, but we know that they at some point have been separated. The circumstances of that is for you guys to figure out, and it is pretty heavy. They're super close in this story and really draw from each other when they need support (as we saw a sneak peek of in this chapter!), so having them separated is the hardest thing ever. Thank you for the review!**

 **So...there's only two chapters left in this part. That's insane! I'm going to give a heads up now and remind you once this part is wrapped up: This is going to literally be split up into two different stories. I'll probably end up posting the last chapter of this part and the first chapter of the next part in the same week so you guys know what story it is, but this is pretty much because I need to change the tags for Nohr. The author in me also likes to think of this story as a two-parter. If you're confused, don't worry! I'll post more information on it in a couple of weeks when the time comes!**

 **With that said, the next chapter is going to have a couple time jumps in it. There's about three chapters left in the game, and I don't think focusing on the two battles before awakening is going to further the plot very far. Because of this, I'm using the next chapter to wrap up some loose ends and set up the finale! That means we're getting more Morgan and Inigo, Inigo and Chrom, and Una and Lissa. Oh, and we're setting up some serious angst. Are you guys ready? Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! We're reaching the end of this part in the story. And by reaching the end, I mean the next chapter is the last part of this story. How time flies! I'm really excited for what's to come, and I hope you guys are too! To recap what happened in the last chapter, everyone went to the table for the final battle. Una, Inigo, and Morgan were all separated. When Una began to pull ahead in the battle against Validar, Grima hinted off to him that they should attack her son. Just as Morgan was about to be defeated, Inigo swooped in and made those Grimleal regret they even lived! Morgan may have called Inigo dad. That'll come back for sure. We're picking up right after the battle, so hold on to your horses and happy reading!**

* * *

 _It's going to be okay._

 _No one is dead yet._

 _You're going to be okay._

 _You're going to…_

Inigo squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to shut the image out from in front of him. He needed to pull himself together if he was going to keep morale up, even if the monster that scarred his childhood had just been resurrected and revealed to be a future version of the woman he was in love with. He just needed to calm down. He just…

The brunet ran his hand through his hair, instead turning his focus to Morgan. The boy, while still battered up from the last battle, was up on his feet and watching the creature in front of him with curious awe. It wasn't the exact reaction he was expecting, but that was one of the things he loved about the boy; Morgan always defied expectation.

The fifteen year old caught his stare and mumbled quietly," I thought it would be bigger."

"You thought it would-," Inigo scoffed out a laugh, secretly consoled by his unimpressed answer. If Morgan could face a demon from hell with a raised eyebrow, so could he," Yeah. Me too."

Out from the frightened murmurs of the Shepherds, Lucina released a choked cry," That's Grima! That's the demon who destroyed my world," Inigo swallowed as his captain started shaking. It was rare for Lucina to show any emotion, so to see her so scared resurfaced some of his worries," And now he is among us..."

Even Frederick the unstoppable force wore a grimace on his face," The terrible size of it...gods! For once the legends spoke true. We can't face him, not in a straight battle—he'd kill us all!"

"Don't panic yet," Una spoke up, her hands flat in the air to try and alleviate their fear," We have the Emblem and we have Chrom, which gives us a fighting chance. If we give up now, we'll condemn ourselves to the same future our children fought to prevent."

Chrom nodded from beside her, moving his shield up for proof of the stones," Una's right. We must complete the Awakening before Grima catches on!"

Inigo felt a small swell of pride rise in his chest at the sight of his girlfriend taking charge. She had gone through a lot in the past hour—more than most of the Shepherds—and here she was trying to keep them calm. _It's no wonder none of them knew about her insecurities_ , Inigo thought bittersweetly.

Frederick was the first to recover alongside his fellow soldiers, taking his leader's direction with stride," It's said the first exalt paid tribute to Naga at a site on Mount Prism."

"Do you know where, exactly?" Chrom asked.

"Yes. There is an altar at the peak of the mountain. If milord would perform the Awakening, it must be done there," The Great Knight explained," I received word that Say'ri and Tiki have docked and plan to join us on the way, as they promised."

Una tapped her chin thoughtfully," That's good. Having Tiki with us might help our chances with Naga."

"But Naga isn't a vengeful god," Nah's small voice came from the crowd. Inigo blinked at how close it's proximity was and turned around, only to find the tiny girl gently hugging Morgan around the waist. His heart melted a little at the sight," She'll help us; I'm sure of it."

"Let's hope so," Una sighed with a smile.

"A small hope is better than no hope at all," Sumia swooped over on her Pegasus just in time to help Chrom onto the back of it," Hurry, everyone! There's no time to waste!"

With one last look to make sure Morgan was in good hands, Inigo made his way towards Una and Winnie. The tactician hopped onto the steed and was about to fly away when she caught his eye. Something unreadable pooled in her irises, but she forced it away to give Inigo a hand. With her help, he jumped up to sit behind her before they took off into the sky.

Inigo's hands tenderly enveloped her waist and pulled her closer, using their new proximity to bury his face in her hair. He hated showing it, but by gods, he was terrified and looking back meant facing Grima once more. If he was completely honest, he would rather pretend the monster didn't exist.

His heart skipped a beat when he felt one of her arms tighten over his," I'm so sorry, Inigo. We couldn't-."

"It's not your fault, Una," He hoarsely whispered back. Being in the air always gave him the excuse to show the vulnerability he couldn't in front of the Shepherds, but even now he felt empty. He didn't want to fight anymore, and judging by how her shoulders started trembling, Una didn't either.

She shook her head, some stray tears from her cheeks dripping on the backs of his hands," But it is! You saw her, Inigo," Una choked out," That was _me_. _I_ chose to become Grima-."

Inigo hid deeper into her purple locks, hoping to hide his own tears," Una, that wasn't you. It may be some _version_ of you, but-."

"Does that really make it any better?"

The mercenary internally swore to himself as he grew quiet, angry that his girlfriend had stumped him. He hated humoring this thought, but what if she was right? What if she succumbed to Grima's will and became them, just as the Grimleal had planned? He wasn't sure he could take anymore heartbreak after his parents' deaths. Should he leave her behind to protect himself?

Inigo's lips slowly curled into a grimace, furious at himself for thinking such a thing. This was Una they were talking about _. His Una_. The same girl that hid behind him whenever Minerva was around and only blushed in her ears. The girl who came to his tent with tired eyes to have her nightmares chased away. His Una, the girl whose smile was even brighter than the sun.

Someone like that could never become a monster like Grima.

With newfound resolve, Inigo secured her body closer to his," Una, you cannot expect me to give up on you that easily. You and that demon have nothing in common, and you never will," He smirked, feeling a bit like his old self as a tease sneaked past his lips," Unless you've planned to become the God of Destruction this whole time, of course."

"Inigo…," His unsteady breathing evened out when he felt her nestle in the cradle of his arms," How come you always know what to say?"

This time, when he told himself everything was going to be okay, Inigo believed it.

0-0-0

"Then what power can you grant me?"

Una watched pensively as Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, and Lucina all stood in front of Naga in her temple. Thankfully Chrom had survived the Awakening Ritual, but that had been before Naga revealed she couldn't destroy him for certain. Morale dropped the moment those words left her lips, even as she explained herself," With my blessing, thou may draw forth Falchion's true might. The blade of the exalts shall again strike like the dragon's fang. Your strength will then be my equal."

Chrom rubbed his thumb along the hilt of Falchion, his voice small as it came out," But not strong enough to destroy Grima?"

"Alas, Grima cannot be slain. Sleep alone can be your victory," The goddess explained," Just as your ancestor put the fell dragon to sleep a millennium ago. But you must weaken him first. Only as the final can my power be used to bind his."

The defeat hanging over the room was so thick, you could cut a knife through it. How could Naga expect them to be okay with sentencing their ancestors to a hellish future? Una couldn't help but think that slaying Grima with Falchion seemed more like putting a pin in the problem instead of facing it head on.

Lissa puffed out her cheeks," Isn't there ANY way to destroy him for good?"

"…There is, perchance, a power that could end Grima. However...," Naga turned her gaze down," 'Twould be his own."

Frederick's jaw slowly dropped in realization,"...He has to kill himself?"

The goddess nodded," Yes. And never would he do so of his own volition. He seeks only to add to his power, and set ruin upon the world. The power I gave you is the only viable option."

"But that can only put him back to sleep. There must be a way to find another solution," Una pressed," I'm unwilling to accept this as our only option."

Naga watched her as she spoke, her head tipping in interest at the fire in her words," You may be correct, Fellblood."

Una tipped her head down solemnly," So you know of my lineage?"

"You possess power not so different from my own."

…Power? The tactician brought her gaze down towards her own hands, brought back to the moment she had impaled Chrom with a light thunder spell just a few days prior. She may be strong and tactically intelligent, but she didn't think she had any more power than anyone else in the Shepherds. What in her blood made her destined to be Grima's vessel anyway? Damn. If only her other self had foreseen the terrible future she would create. She would rather do herself in than create the same-

Una's eyes widened as realization sank in.

Chrom sheathed his sword with a sigh," I agree with Una. We must find some way to break this unholy cycle! We can't just keep putting Grima back to sleep every few centuries. Otherwise we merely will his vengeance on our descendants."

"...I may know a way," Una turned to the other three guests in the temple and placed on what she hoped to be a comforting smile," Can you leave us alone for a second? I would like to speak with Naga and Chrom in private."

The blue haired man perked up like a child being offered candy. The two girls seemed more apprehensive at this proposition, but Frederick gave a curt nod before anyone could object. She waited until they were long gone from the room to face the matter at hand. Despite the gravity of the situation, something about Chrom's pep put a smile on her face; She hadn't seen him this excited since their little treasure hunt detour," Yes, Una? You have some plan?"

Una squeezed her hands into fists, knowing that her friend would not be pleased when he came to the same point she had," The other me claimed the dragon and I were the same, yes? If I strike the final blow, he'd be killed by his own hand."

"Una! Ingenious!" Chrom rustled her hair playfully before turning the goddess hopefully," Naga? Will it work?"

"...Perhaps. But there would be consequences," She explained slowly," Grima's heart and Una's are inexorably linked. Dragon and woman can no longer be separated. Therefore, slaying Grima would also cause the end of Una's life."

Una briefly glanced at Chrom, whose face had paled a considerable amount. She needed to jump in and offer words of comfort if he was going to let her go through with this," I realize that."

"There is...a chance you could survive, but it is small indeed. You have bound your heart to those of many others in this world," Naga revealed hesitantly," If those bonds prove strong enough, they may yet keep you in this reality. However, not even a thousand human friendships surpass the dragon's grip. In truth, you will almost certainly cease to exist."

The purple haired girl let her eyes fall to the ground. She didn't like the sound of that at all, if she was being honest. But who was she to be selfish and choose her own life against thousands of others? Hell, how would she explain to Inigo that she only put the monster that terrified him to sleep instead of destroy it for good?

Her mind flitted to the feeling of his tears seeping into her hair. She could feel him shaking as they left the table, no matter how much he tried to put on a good face. He was terrified, and if she didn't do anything about it, whatever happened to him would be her fault.

"Una would cease to be?!" Said girl flicked her head back up to find Chrom shaking his head resolutely," No. We'll find another way."

"Chrom, wait. You're not thinking clearly," The eighteen year old reached out and lightly gripped his hand. While on the outside it looked like she was trying to comfort him, they both knew that the act was used to keep her from breaking apart," Think about what your sister would have wanted."

He squeezed her hand, his voice soft as he stated," Emmeryn would never have asked you to do this."

"What is one life, when weighed against millions?"

"What makes your life less important than theirs?" Chrom ran his hand through his hair, his frustration keeping him from maintaining a cool head," How would you feel if I was the one that needed to make that sacrifice? Would you let me do it?"

Oh, he was playing that card? Fine. Two could play at this game," What would you do if you were in my shoes? I know you, Chrom."

Her response only exasperated him more, and Una was certain it was because he knew she was right," You're one of us. You'll _always_ be one of us. There has to be another way. We just have to find it. Promise me, Una. Promise me you won't do this!"

"I…"

0-0-0

"Hey Lissa, can I talk to you for a second?"

Una watched as the blonde princess perked up, motioning for her friend to enter her tent. Lissa glanced down and pointed at the letter in her hands, a curious smile present on her lips," What's that? Did Inigo write you a love letter?"

"No, it's actually for him," Una shifted uncomfortably, hoping to keep the nervous tears from prickling out of her eyes. She had indeed come to a decision earlier, and while Chrom left the temple feeling satisfied, she knew that her lie could only promise sat on cracking glass.

Despite her best efforts to keep a good face, Lissa saw right through it. She patted the spot on her bed," Come on, sit down."

"I shouldn't…," Una's voice trailed off when the princess patted the same spot, this time with a more authoritative look on her face. If she treated politics the same way she treated her friends, Lissa could rule with ease. With a sigh, Una followed orders," It's about tomorrow."

The blonde nodded," You mean when we fight Grima?"

"Yeah," Una ran her thumbs over the yellowing edges of the envelope before delicately placing it in her friend's hands," If something happens to me, I need you to give this to Inigo."

She could feel Lissa's blood run cold from the surface of her skin," What? Why would anything happen to you?" She snuck one of her hands out from underneath the letter to place on top of Una's," Why can't you just give it to him yourself, silly? Are you two avoiding each other again?"

Usually Una would have pulled away, but seeing that Lissa was one of her oldest friends, she relished the form of comfort while she could," I'm just taking the precautions necessary for our final battle. I won't be able to fight alongside Inigo, and-."

"Una, you're acting like you're going to die," Lissa giggled, though they faded as soon as she caught the serious sheen in the tactician's eyes," Una?"

The purple haired girl turned her head away, unable to look her friend straight on anymore. If she did, she would undoubtably break down," Please promise me that if something happens, you'll give that letter to him," She squeezed her eyes shut," Please."

"Okay, I promise," Lissa tucked the envelope in the pocket of her apron and moved her arms to wrap around Una's chest, pulling her into a hug from behind," But I also promise that nothing's going to happen to you tomorrow. Chrom and I won't let you get hurt! We've already lost a sister; I don't think we can bear to lose another one."

Una was thankful Lissa couldn't see her face, because she cracked when she heard those words.

0-0-0

Inigo was exhausted. Between realizing that the monster from his childhood was terrorizing the world once more and Una suddenly becoming more closed off, he was really in need of a nap. However, when he tried to sleep nothing came. All he could do was focus on the same damned holes lining the top of his tent and count sheep until deciding rest was ultimately useless.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. His back ached in protest from the battle earlier that week, begging to get stretched. The brunet cocked his head to the side, slowly deciding that practicing his dance might be a good distraction. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well spend what could be one of his last nights doing what he loved.

It wasn't too late into the night when Inigo left, giving half-hearted waves to those he passed as he made his way from their camp. Owain stopped him at one point to ask for romance advice in the most guarded way ever, but the boy was too tired to tease him about it. If anything, he was actually…happy for him? Never in a million years had he ever thought he and Owain could become friends, but after everything they had just gone through, he couldn't imagine doing it without him by his side.

Inigo had just made it into an empty clearing just by the edge of the tree-line when a twig snapping caught his attention. Was it his mother again? No, usually she would try being a lot more discreet about it. It could be Una, but she hadn't stopped to rest since she returned from Naga's temple.

With his curiosity properly piqued, Inigo turned around and to find Morgan standing behind him," Oh, hello! What brings you out here?"

The gray haired boy shifted from one foot to the other, folding his arms against his chest. After a few seconds, he unfolded them and anxiously placed them in his pockets. Inigo noted that, for some reason, the tactician coat he always wore was not on his body. He wordlessly pointed it out to the boy, who confusedly followed his stare until realization hit him," Oh, the coat! Yeah, it got pretty beat up from the last battle. But that's okay; Brady promised to teach me how to sew, so we're going to work on it together," His thumbs poked out from his pockets, fidgeting against the fabric of his pants as he powered on," Speaking of the battle, I—I never really got to talk to you about that."

Inigo nodded slowly, unsure of how exactly to respond. They were in a war, so fighting was a day-to-day occurrence for all the Shepherds. Granted, The Table was much more intense than any of them had anticipated, but that didn't explain was Morgan seemed so nervous," Why don't we sit down?"

The boy had situated himself on the ground before Inigo even finished his sentence. The mercenary let out a low chuckle at his antics and joined him, propping one of his elbows up on his knee so that his entire body faced the boy. As per usual, Morgan was only staring back at him awaiting the next direction. Inigo liked to think of himself as a good conversationalist, but when the gray haired boy watched him blankly like that, he never knew what to do.

It took a full minute for Morgan to register he should say something," Uh…so…I guess I should start by thanking you for protecting me," He floundered sheepishly," I'd be dead if it wasn't for you."

Inigo smiled warmly," It was no problem, really. I'm just happy you're okay."

His head dropped like a rock, patches of red sneaking onto his cheeks," Th-Thanks. I'm happy you're okay, too!" Morgan rocked back and forth a little, mumbling what sounded like a string of swear words under his breath. It always came as a bit of a shock whenever the outwardly bubbly and I Morgan did something like that, but Inigo supposed that was just part of his act to keep other people's worries at bay. He bit back the urge to comment on it, knowing fully well that habit was something he picked up from Una and, hopefully, himself,"…I called you dad, didn't I?"

Inigo rose his eyebrow with a tinge of amusement. He knew that Una had developed the acute method of reading his mind, so it shouldn't have surprised him that Morgan wasn't any different. Morgan sighed, his eyes averting away from the seventeen year old next to him to explain himself," At The Table. I called you dad, and—and I never told you why."

"Oh," This was not the conversation he had planned on having that night, though he supposed it made sense. They were slated to start the final march towards Grima tomorrow, and lives could easily be lost at this point. He tried to make eye contact with the boy, but he stubbornly remained facing away. Something about that made him nervous," Well…why did you?"

Inigo watched the boy brood in silence before abruptly reaching to wipe underneath his nose," I…I-I don't know!" Was he crying? Oh gods, and he thought hearing Una cry was the worst thing in the world! The mercenary fumbled to try and keep a cool composure, though he knew that if Morgan faced him, he would see right through it," I keep getting these flashes of memories. Like I remember Uncle Gaius, and Soleil, and—I think I remember my dad," The gray haired boy wiped the corner of his eye with the heel of his hand, letting out a depreciative laugh," Who am I kidding? I've heard my dad a lot at this point! A-And he sounds like _you_ ," The fifteen year old's shoulders began trembling," I-I'm probably just projecting what I…wh-what I…," He curled tighter into himself," I just don't—I don't get it!"

The brunet could only stare at the back of the boy's head blankly as he shuddered. How had the other Shepherds dealt with this? Granted, most of those lucky dastards were already parents before their future children came back. He wasn't even married, and here he was on the cusp of fatherhood. Hell, he wasn't even there! There was still a likely chance he wasn't Morgan's father, and accepting it now could be disastrous for their relationship if the man eventually did come into the picture. But then again, he really didn't want to leave Morgan to face his grief alone. What would his father do if he was in his shoes?

Inigo blinked, his mind suddenly whipped back to a month ago when they were sitting together in the snow. His hand absently reached towards his own shoulder, the pads of his fingers skimming over the place his father held him. The gesture had been small in itself, but he knew how much it meant because it came from Lon'qu. Inigo gathered all of the warmth the memory brought him and, with the hesitance of a hunter approaching a deer, moved his hand to rest on Morgan's shoulder.

The boy flinched at the sudden contact, but sank into it right after," I…," Inigo squeezed gently, silently urging Morgan to go on. The boy swallowed in a vain attempt to compose himself, only for a string of sobs to choke from his throat," I don't care who my real father is! I want _you_ to be my dad!" For the first time that night, the gray haired boy turned to look Inigo in the eye, crushing him with the conflicted sheen in his irises," Does that make me a terrible person?"

Something in Inigo snapped at that moment; he threw caution out the window to pull the boy into the most genuine hug he could produce. Morgan accepted the embrace immediately, throwing his arms around his torso with all his might. It was odd seeing the son of Una, the most emotionally insecure person he knew, jump into his open arms so easily. He ignored the rogue thought that screamed trusting someone so easily was something Inigo did.

They remained like that for a while, Morgan releasing all his pent up worries and Inigo filling in the fatherly role the best he could. The distant bustle from camp lulled into a low hum by the time Morgan's cries began to die down, the stars clearly dotting the night sky. Inigo briefly wondered if this was the last time they would see stars for a while. He avoided the possibility of what would become of Ylisse's lush landscape if Grima succeeded, suddenly determined to make what could be his last clear night a happy one.

Luckily for him, Inigo knew the perfect distraction.

He gave the boy's back one last pat before pushing himself onto his feet and holding out his hand," Enough moping! I'm not sure if you're aware or not, but I actually came out here with the intentions of practicing my dance."

Morgan sniffed, giving him a brief look over," Are you any good?"

Inigo found himself relieved to hear the blunt tone of his voice, even if his words did sting a little. He much preferred the socially awkward Morgan to the distraught one he had just consoled moments ago. He took his comment as a challenge, hoping that Una's son shared her competitive spirit," Are you? Mother told me you were skilled, and I would like to see for myself before I make any judgements."

"Hey!" The brunet watched with a smile as Morgan stumbled onto his feet and began stretching," Maybe you could teach me something! I haven't danced since we were on that stupid boat, and I don't want to fall out of shape."

The mercenary couldn't help but grin. A novice wouldn't know that much about keeping up with dance, especially without being aware that was what he was saying. Inigo motioned for the boy to stand next to him, all the while wracking through the different numbers he knew in his head. He couldn't perform one Olivia did, because there was a chance Morgan would already know it. And teaching him his mother's special dance would only make him emotional, so that was off the table. That only left him with the little piece he was working choreographing by himself. It wasn't anything great in his opinion, but it was something.

"Alright, so start with your feet in second position and your hands on either side of you," He demonstrated , holding in the position until Morgan was in the same place. As soon as he stopped fidgeting, he sent Inigo an eager look," Yes, just like that. Now, you're going to cross them in front of you," He continued, going slowly so that the younger dancer could move alongside him," Then above—keep your wrists flexed—just like that! Keep reaching until they're above your head."

Morgan nodded, his gaze never leaving Inigo's body," That's an eight count, right?"

"You pick up fast," Inigo bobbed his head, unable to keep the small morsel of pride from growing in his chest. He must be a better teacher than he thought," So after that, you're going to break your hands apart and scoop them down to your sides-."

"Like this?"

The dancer watched as Morgan not only did the move in perfect timing, but perfect positioning as well," Uh. Yeah. Just like that," That was odd. Even he couldn't memorize a sequence that quickly…No matter! The beginning was easy. The fact that the fifteen year old was learning it so fast probably had something to do with that," The next two count, you're going to bring your right arm back up and use this time to prep your body to face left. This is set up for the aerial."

Morgan's eyes twinkled," What kind of aerial?"

"Butterfly twist. It's a little advanced, so I'll demonstrate first and we can do a step by step afterwards," Inigo swallowed the nerves of someone actually watching him dance long enough to prep for the move. He started at the top of the second eight count, gliding his arm back behind him for the prep. He switched his balance, took a deep breath, and launched himself forward and off the ground. His right foot swung over his head as his torso remained parallel with the ground, his whole body doing a rotation until he landed on the opposite foot.

Something shifted in Morgan's expression, his stare boring into Inigo as he no doubt calculated just how he did that," Can I try it out?"

Inigo's eyebrow quirked," You think you can do it? Don't break your arm. Una would kill me."

He waved his hand airily," I'll be fine," Before the mercenary could stop it, Morgan was already through the prep and flipping over himself in perfect position. It was like looking into a mirror, with the most baffling part being Morgan's hopeful smile at the end," Did I do it right?"

"U-Uh huh," The brunet cleared his throat, unable to keep the shock from peeking through. There was no way he could have picked that up that fast unless he had been trained in dance his whole life. Seeing that Una was his mother, he seriously doubted that was the case," Do you have a photographic memory?"

"I don't have any memories," Morgan replied in a monotone, cracking a smile a few seconds later to prove it was a joke," Sorry, I was just kidding! I think I might know this dance."

"What?" How in Naga's name could Morgan know this dance? Unless he had been stalking Inigo the past few months, there was no way he'd know it move for move. The only way he'd know it was if…if Inigo taught it to him himself. He cracked his neck, suddenly very interested in the boy's abilities," Alright then. Let's dance."

He supposed this must have been something close to what Olivia felt when Morgan jumped into her performance with absolute precision. He was in complete unison with every move Inigo made as they progressed deeper into his routine, so much so that Inigo began to get lost in the music he hummed. He hoped that this was be something akin to what he and his child would do if-

He was abruptly cut off from his thoughts by the lack of footsteps beside him. Inigo slowed to a stop, watching curiously as the boy looked straight at him. He had grown pretty accustomed to Morgan spacing out at random times, but the expression on his face made him seem possessed," Er, is everything okay? You know I get embarrassed easily—oomph!" One second he was in front of him, the next Morgan had tackled him around the torso, shaking just as profusely as he had been an hour before," W-Woah! Morgan, what's wrong?"

"I...I remembered something! Just one tiny little memory, but...I remember!" The gray haired boy pulled apart, and though his cheeks were once more wet with tears, they were accompanied by the brightest beam he had seen in a long time," You were smiling at me...and we were dancing _this dance_ together! You looked a little bit older, and your hair was gray—and you had a weird accent, but it was DEFINITELY you!" He propelled himself back into Inigo's chest, his watery laugh muffled through his tunic," You're my dad! I-I don't have to be guilty, because this whole time it was you!"

Inigo could only stand in shock, every detail coming from his son's lips bringing him closer and closer to reality. He was truly Morgan's father? He hesitantly patted the top of Morgan's head, choking once it really set in that this wasn't a dream. He and Una had a child together, and it was Morgan! Morgan, the quietest, quirkiest, smartest, most talented boy he could ever ask for. And he was _his_. Inigo decided that now was not the best time to question how this was even possible and accepted it whole-heartedly, tugging the boy closer into his embrace," Oh thank gods, because I'll let you in on a little secret," He felt his own eyes become watery," I wanted you to be my son, too."

"Aww, dad, don't cry," Morgan finally pulled apart, knowing exactly how hypocritical his request was," This is great! If I can get one memory back, maybe I can get the rest! It may take time, but I won't stop trying until I remember everything about you, mom, and everyone else!" He wiped his nose and chuckled," It will be weird thinking of you as my dad and not my friend, but I'll get there soon, I promise!"

"I'm right there with you. I'm a…," His voice trailed off as realization fully sank in," I'm a father, and I'm only seventeen. Oof. Just wait until my parents hear they have a grandchild."

Morgan perked up once they were mentioned," We have to tell mother!"

"What if she's sleeping?"

"No, we've got to tell her right now!" The gray haired boy paid no attention to any of Inigo's protests and began to drag him back towards camp. Inigo was a little worried what it would be like if they faced the wrath of a grumpy Una, but the small voice in his head that persisted to let Morgan have this won over. After all, it was rare to see his son act like a kid. And, now that he was confirmed to be the father, it meant nothing was standing in his way.

Another epiphany hit Inigo as they reached the edge of camp, causing him to slow to a stop. Morgan sent him a questioning look, only to have the new father wave him off," You go ahead. I'll catch up."

His son shrugged the weird behavior off and ran to find his mother. It was only once he was out of sight that Inigo pulled his mother's ring from his breast pocket, a small smile on his face.

* * *

 **IT ONLY TOOK EIGHT CHAPTERS, BUT WE** _FINALLY_ **HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT INIGO IS MORGAN'S DAD! Hallelujah! Seeing that was the major plot point and purpose of this chapter (and my favorite part), we'll star there and work our way around. I love Inigo and Morgan together, and the moment he broke down was well overdue. Both Morgan and Inigo have had suspicions throughout the story that they were related, but neither could confirm anything until Morgan clearly remembered him. What better way to do this than through dance? Did you guys seriously think I was going to have Morgan dance with Olivia and not Inigo? Also, we had a little callback to the Lon'qu and Inigo moment from earlier in the story. Like father, like son! Ugh, I want to share everything about the next part with you guys but I also want it to be a surprise! Hopping to the beginning of the chapter, I really like writing the small moments between Una and Inigo. I feel like they only feel comfortable being vulnerable around each other, which is going to make the next chapter a lot harder (oh gods, the start-off scene for that chapter is going to tear you all apart). Also, that little line with Morgan saying Grima was smaller than he thought is not only funny, but a little snippet of what's to come in the future. Did I mention Morgan's my favorite character? I combined the two conversations with Naga concerning Una's relation to Grima, because I felt like it would make more sense together. Little change, more exposition, ect ect. Chrom and Lissa are the greatest friends (cough cough siblings) ever, and I'm going to miss them dearly once we arrive in Nohr. Review time!**

 **Lance Eterna:** **I know! She's coming soon (ish)! The weird thing about Soleil is that she will not be introduced in the same fashion Morgan was. Since we all know that Inigo is for sure Morgan's parent, that means we are going to see Soleil and Morgan as babies! She's going to have a huge presence (alongside Morgan!) in the next part of the story, so we'll just have to hurry up and get there!**

 **Okay, a few things to talk about before we move onto the final chapter of this part. As I mentioned before, this is going to be broken up into two different stories because of tags and overall continuity. I am going to post that and the first chapter of the following part next Monday roughly around the same time (we'll see how works). I'm doing this for a few reasons: For starters, it'll just be a nice treat to have two chapters come out on one night. I've already finished this part and have started onto the next, so I'm not worried about posting it. However, I will be unable to post the following Monday because I will be on vacation. I'm hoping that the extra content can tide you guys over! And finally, I want you all to be able to find the next part so you can continue on with the story! Part I takes place in Awakening, Part II takes place in Fates. I don't want to give the title away yet because of the angst in the next chapter, but I'll tell you for easy access afterwards!**

 **I think that's it! Thank you guys for reading, and let's get ready to finish up Part I next week!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


	23. Chapter 23

**FINAL CHAPTER FINAL CHAPTER! Guys, this is the end of Part 1! We made it! This is both good and bad. Good, because we're moving on to the next part of the story with all new characters and story threads. Bad, because that means this chapter is super sad. I'm serious; I had a hard time editing parts of this because of the** _emotions._ **To catch you all up, Morgan and Inigo know each other are related now! FINALLY. Una found out that if she sacrificed herself, Grima would perish forever. Chrom is super against it, but nobody else knows. Una gave a letter of unknown contents to Lissa, who promised she'd give it to Inigo if anything happened to her in the battle. Also, just a little side note: This chapter starts with a brief flashback. I think it's pretty self explanatory, but I didn't want to spell it out for you guys in the text. I think that's it. Happy reading!**

* * *

 _"Inigo…your parents aren't coming home."_

 _The brown haired boy, barely at the cusp of six years old, could only stare ahead. He knew Exalt Lissa was explaining something to him, but her voice was dulled out to a low rumble. His mother and father were…dead? No, that was impossible! His father was the strongest warrior in all of Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and Valm! And why would anyone hurt his mother?_

 _"Inigo? A-Are you listening to me?" Lissa wiped the corner of her eye before taking both his shoulders and bringing him into a hug," Oh Inigo, I'm so sorry," She sniffled herself, eventually pulling away to place a hand over his heart," They'll always be right here with you, watching over you."_

 _The child shook his head, tears prickling," B-But without them, I'm all alone."_

 _"No, you're never alone Inigo," Lissa stroked his cheek, tucking one of his stray hairs behind his ear," I-It's just like how Emm and Chrom and—and Henry," Her voice choked a little at the mention of her husband, who had perished only a few weeks prior," They're all watching over me. That's why we have to stay strong; for their sakes."_

 _Inigo barely managed to bob his head, pushing his arm up to wipe his eyes," What—What if I-I can't?"_

" _I know you're scared," He felt her guide his clenched fist open, gently enclosing it around something small and round," This was your mother's wedding ring. As long as you have it with you, you'll be safe."_

0-0-0

"Hey, Inigo?"

Una watched as said boy fumbled to stuff something in his hands into his pocket before turning to face her with a smile," Good morning, my love! Might I say, you are a vision of utter beauty."

She felt a small smile sneak onto her face, despite how cheesy his compliment was. Her eyes skimmed his body, trying to burn the image of the sleepy mercenary into her mind forever. His chocolate brown hair was a little more ruffled than usual, but his irises had seemed to be shining a little brighter ever since he and Morgan discovered they were related. She resisted the urge to just jump into his arms then and there, instead settling with a soft," Good morning to you too, Inigo. Can I borrow a moment of your time?"

He took one of her hands in his and pressed a gentle kiss on the back of it," I'm yours, my lady."

Una bobbed her head, using herculean strength not to break down in front of him. She didn't want to spend what could be her last moments with him a sobbing mess; that wouldn't do anybody any good. Instead, she reached closer so that her arms hung loosely around his waist, propping her chin on his chest so she could look up at him," What do you want to do after this?"

"Well, I'm fairly certain that we're going to march for Grima, but I wouldn't say I _want_ to do-."

"I meant _after_ that," She slid her head down so that her forehead rested against the fabric of his tunic," What do you want to do?"

She could feel his chest vibrate with the surprise in the tone," Oh. Well, I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it before," Inigo brought one of his arms around her lower back while keeping one hand up to card through her purple locks," I think I'd like to travel. Maybe focus on dancing when there won't be a war to worry about. A-And I'd like to spend more time with you," He stuttered bashfully," Though I assume that is a given. Morgan is living proof of that."

Una pressed her eyelids down, indulging in the little fantasy he was creating as a distraction for what was to come," You're correct in your assumptions, but I would love to hear you say it out right."

"Heh, alright," She felt his lips press a tender kiss on the crown of her head," I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Una. I had more of a speech planned out, but I was going to wait until we celebrated our victory to-."

"Can you do that?" Una suddenly pulled away, one of her arms sliding up to cradle the back of his neck," Will you wait for me?"

Inigo tilted his head to the side, leaving Una to watch as he took in her appearance. She had done a good job of concealing her dark circles and red rimmed eyes up until this point, but now that they were in such close proximity, it was hard to hide anything," Wait for you? What does that mean, my love?" When she didn't answer, he quietly persisted," Una?"

Damn the gods, how was she supposed to keep her resolve when he said her name like that? The tactician brushed her thumb along his hairline, using the warmth of his neck to anchor her onto the ground," I'm just being selfish, that's all."

"Selfish?" The brunet's hand slipped down to cup her cheek," Why would asking me to wait for you be selfish? You know I will. Would I rather be by your side to protect you in our final battle? Yes. Do I understand that this is something you and Chrom must do together?" He hummed," Not really, but I support your decision."

He ran the pad of his thumb over her temple contemplatively, unaware that Una was soaking every second they spent together in. It made her painfully aware how little she truly appreciated the moments they were in each other's presence. If she could go back and live the past three months again, Una knew she would be much more thankful for things like this.

Inigo's thumb paused, his eyes trained on the glossy state of her own," What is this all about, hmm? Are you worried about what'll become of you after the war ends?"

That was one way to put it. She tore her gaze away, knowing that no matter how she phrased this, it wasn't going to come out well. To hell with that. She needed to make the most of this, and right now, what she needed was for the man she loved to hold her," Yes. I…I'm scared, Inigo."

She could feel her heartbeat relax when her tugged her shoulders closer into one of his warm hugs," There's nothing to be afraid of, Una. I promise that everything is going to turn out okay, and I am a man of my word," She giggled at that, clutching onto the words in even if they were untrue," The future is unknown, and I will not be the first to admit that is frightening. However, I won't be scared if you're by my side," She felt him grasp her closer," For now, let's take one step at a time. I'll wait for you after the battle, and when we reunite, we can figure our lives out together. Sound good?"

Gods, she didn't care how greedy she was for needing to hear those words. Having him give her those reassurances made her ready to face her demons and come back to him. He was going to wait for her, and she was going to find him. No matter what," Sounds good," She snuggled deeper into his arms and sighed," I love you, Inigo."

When he said his next words, she accepted them with all her heart," I love you too, Una."

0-0-0

"WRETCHED SON OF NAGA. YOU WILL BE DESTROYED."

Una narrowed her eyes at the deafening voice, determination bubbling inside of her. There was no going back. It didn't matter that she was scared out of her wits and worried she might not be strong enough to fight the demon that terrorized her friends. She was going to be strong, and she was going to win.

She felt Chrom approach her from her left, much like he did before every battle. Una spared him a quick glance, breaking slightly when he caught the worried glint in his irises. It was hard enough to face Lissa and Inigo without cracking under the pressure. With Chrom, she wanted nothing more than to burrow herself into his arms and pretend none of this was happening. Judging by his nervous expression, he felt the same way," Are you ready, Una?"

The purple haired girl sighed and rubbed the spine of her tome, using the act to help gain some resolve," As ready as I will ever be, Chrom," She sent one last look back towards Inigo and Morgan, who had promised her they'd keep an eye on each other during the battle. The fire in her heart ignited at the thought of anything ill happening to either of them," Let's finish this!"

Without warning, a huge mass of dark magic swept through the Shepherds like a tidal wave. Una gritted her teeth as a burning sensation prickled through her body, desperate not to show any pain. She was just about to get onto her feet when a second wave shot through, temporarily taking the entire army out for the count.

Una's chest heaved as worry began to pool in her chest. They had barely gotten on Grima's back, and now they were all down. How could that even happen? She hadn't felt this useless since she watched an army of risen shoot the Pegasus knights out of the sky.

Chrom huffed from beside her as he propped himself up on his forearm,"...Wh-what...What manner of magic..."

"Magic?!" Basilio forced out a shaky laugh," That was a...damned...catastrophe...He's weakened us all...He's too...strong...rrgh..."

"It cannot end like this...," Una froze at the sound of Frederick's voice, trembling with fear. Frederick to stoic, reduced to a frightened husk of a man. She couldn't bear to hear it," I won't have...all our struggle...be for naught..."

Lucina's soft cries echoed from behind them," No...This darkness...The future is upon us! Oh gods...F-Father..."

Una had just managed to push herself into a sitting position when her own voice, deep and shrouded with evil, called upon her," And so it ends, Una. See how frail these humans bonds of yours are? How short lived? How _pointless_?" Grima chuckled," You have all thrown your lives away, and the result is the same!"

The purple haired girl growled, pulling together all her strength to try and sway the Shepherds in the other direction. If they gave up now, they were all as good as dead," We're not done yet!"

"Detail, details," Grima sighed," But yes, I suppose it's time I got you all off my back, so to speak—permanently."

As if on cue, the dragon's entire body lurched, sending the Shepherds that had managed to compose themselves back onto their knees. Una yelped as her body flew to the side, barely managing to latch onto one of the large scales to avoid falling to her death. How long could they put up with this? She needed to do something! _Think, Una, think_!

She felt a dark hand reach underneath her chin and pull her gaze up, forcing her to look at the older version of herself," No, you don't want this, do you? You do have a choice, you know. It doesn't have to be this way. You can still save all your friends," Una yanked herself away, desperate not to show how much Grima's offer stuck with her," Become one with me, and we shall spare their lives. Refuse," She snapped, causing another lurch to nearly launch her friends onto the ground below," and watch as I rend the flesh from their bones!"

Una felt herself began to shake. There had to be another way. If she turned herself in to Grima, they would die. If she didn't turn herself in to Grima, they would die. Gods, fate was cruel," I..."

"No, Una!" Said girl's head shot up at the sound of Chrom's voice not too far away. She noted with a hint of impressment that he managed to push himself into a kneeling position, his eyes trained on hers as he begged through the pain," Don't...do it..."

"She's lying...," Una winced at how broken Lissa's voice sounded. She should have been there to protect her friend, and now it felt like she couldn't do anything," It's...a trap..."

"NOW!" The tactician flinched at the yell, her attention forcibly brought back to the monster standing in front of her," I will have your decision! Will you save these worms? Will you JOIN ME and become a GOD?"

The eighteen year old clenched her fists, her decision made. If she defied Grima, she was sentencing her friends to death. If she joined…,"All right! I'll do as you wish! Just...let them live."

"No, Una! Don't-."

One second, Una was trying to find Chrom and reassure him that everything would be alright. The next, the floor had vanished from underneath her and she was plummeting into the darkness. She barely managed a scream before the tiny hole she entered from closed, engulfing her in the ink that she was swallowed into. Una smacked onto some sort of floor, groaning as she pushed herself onto her knees. She gathered what little strength she had to stumble onto her feet next, using one of her arms to baby her previously injured shoulder. It had just healed, but taking a crash landing on it made it hurt like a bitch.

"Yes, at last I have you..." She shrieked as the voice emerged from behind her, jumping as far away from the body that had, in one world, once been hers," Once our power is joined...THE DRAGON'S MIGHT...WILL BE MADE WHOLE."

Una shook her head, even though she knew standing her ground against the demon would ultimately lead to more agony on her part," First, let my friends go. You promised to spare them."

"Oh come now, we both knew that was never going to happen. But I am not altogether cruel...," Grima cracked a mocking leer," I did spare you the pain of damning them openly."

 _Oh no. Chrom, Lissa, Maribelle, Gaius…_

Una's heart dropped. What was going to happen to Inigo and Morgan? Even though she was weak, the fire in her heart erupted into flames once more. She was going to protect her family or die trying," You..."

Grima merely tutted in response," In truth, I simply don't understand why you care so deeply for the creatures. No matter. Your soul is mine now; you cannot escape. Your mind will descend into the shadow of my own!"

"No...," Una yanked her tome out from its holster and flipped it open to a new page, bolts of Thoron crackling in her palms," _I won't let you_!"

" _You still DARE resist ME?!_ " It took every ounce of Una's being not to flinch at the wrath directed towards her," _THEN PERHAPS I SHALL END YOU FIRST_!"

Una barely had time to react before a shard of dark magic shot through her stomach, freezing every blood cell in her body. Her chest began convulsing in a pain far worse than the arrows she had been shot with earlier in the year. She could feel blood begin to trickle from her lips, though when she reached up to touch it, it was a murky black. How…how was that…

She let out a strangled cry as the shard retracted from her, roughly dropping her body to the ground with a thud. Una tried to keep her focus steady, but inky spots began to cloud around the corners of her vision. Was this it? Was she going to die? Una was vaguely aware that her hands began trembling," So dark...A sea of black...I have...no final strategy," She gulped in what little air she could, only to find it hot and stifling,"...No cards left to play...She has...won...," Una squeezed her eyes shut, unable to take her fading surroundings in anymore," I c-can't see...I can't hear...I feel...nothing..."

"—ve to —ack!"

The tactician's brow furrowed. Had…had she just heard something? How was that possible? Nobody aside from herself and Grima were down here. She was utterly alone.

"Yo— ha— fi— back! —ghting!"

No. That time she had definitely heard something. Una groaned as she opened her eyes, blinking the dark corners out from her sights," I...hear something...A voice..."

"Fight ba—! —ave to keep —ing! _Fight back, Una_!" The purple haired girl couldn't help the biggest smile from spreading across her lips at the sound of her friends voice. They were still there. They were alive! She fought the urge to release a blissful laugh," You swore to do so, remember? Now keep your damn word!"

Una's smile shifted into a smirk; he was right. Here she was, so close to giving up without really thinking it through. If there was one thing she learned from her tactic books, it was that there was always a way out. Even if the general hadn't considered mages or the Pegasus knight was overrun by archers…even if they were mere humans facing off against a god. If they stuck together, they could win," C-Chrom? Chrom!" Una staggered up to stand, ignoring the searing ache that accompanied it as she yelled back," Chrom, I can hear you!

"What?! No! You are mine now!" Grima rose her hand and prepared for another strike," The dragon's grip cannot be broken!"

"Come back to us, Una!" Lissa cried.

"Get up right this instant, or suffer a swift smack of my parasol!" Maribelle added on.

Gaius spoke up almost immediately after his wife," Up and at 'em, Bubbles! One dragon oughta be a piece of cake!"

Frederick was next, the fear from earlier absent as he cheered her on," I know it would take more than this to stop you, milady!"

"History is watching, Una!" Virion announced," If you are insistent to cheat again, I suggest you cheat death!"

"Una, you can't close up shop on us now!" Anna declared," We still need you!"

Una felt a small grin sneak onto her face at the sound of Owain's voice joining in," Heed not the dark's eerie call, friend! Summon forth the strength inside you!"

Even Severa was joining in, despite the fact that they had barely known each other for a few weeks," If you don't come back, I'm never going to forgive you!"

"She'll return," Nah concluded," I know you will."

"Please, Una! You're a part of our family now!" Was Olivia crying? Una felt her heart swell," Come back to us! Please!"

Lon'qu joined in shortly after," Una, you're strong. We didn't follow you through two wars for you to die now!"

"Mother!" Una bit back a sob at the sound of Morgan pleading," You mean everything to me! I can't lose you again! Come back!"

"Una," Her breath caught when she heard Inigo," You can do this! I believe in you."

"I can hear them...," The purple haired girl spun to face Grima head on, shooting out her bolt of Thoron with surprising force. The attack intercepted what her opponent planned to be a sneak attack, causing a huge explosion to knock both of them back. Una blatantly ignored her pain and got back onto her feet, magic coursing through her veins," I hear my friends!"

"Stop this at once! SILENCE those wretched voices! You are all powerless! Frail! Insignificant! You are NOOOTHING!"

"Return to us, Una!" Chrom shouted," Your bond with us is stronger than even the fell dragon's might!"

"Chrom!" She let out a watery smile as her solution sank in. This wasn't a matter of whose magic was stronger. Everything was reliant on their will, something that would only break if they allowed it themselves. If they stood up to Grima together, even a god couldn't defeat them," I'm coming, Chrom! Hold on!"

Using her newfound advantage, Una broke free from the darkness surrounding her and burst back into the light. She had barely touched the ground when Chrom's hand reached out for hers," Let's finish this."

0-0-0

….

It was time.

"Now, Una! This is our chance!"

The purple haired girl closed her eyes. Going into this battle, she had held onto the hope that maybe, fate could change. She had Morgan and Inigo, after all, something she had come to realize her other self hadn't. She was glad to be fighting for them, even if they wouldn't understand it now.

"I'm going to finish it!"

When thinking about her destiny as Grima's vessel, she had originally come to the conclusion that it was curse. Why was she born to suffer? Did Naga hate her? Una was grateful for her mother, who stole her from her crib and presumably raised her until her teens. One of her regrets was not being able to remember the woman that saved her, but maybe now that she was nearing the end, they could finally meet.

"...ARROGANT MORTAL...I AM THE END!"

Now, as she stood face to face with the monster another version of herself had created, Una knew that her blood had not been a curse. If not for her lineage and her mother's suffering, she would not be able to destroy the beast that terrorized her friends. Being the vessel gave her the ability to save Inigo's life; to keep him from having the nightmares he hid from her.

She honestly didn't know if she would be able to return to him, nor did she know if he would wait for her like he promised. Part of her hoped he didn't. It was unfair of her to ask him to never love another woman, even though he hadn't understood that when she expressed it earlier. Granted, she wasn't being entirely honest with him either. If he knew what she planned on doing, he would have never let her come on the dragon's back in the first place. However, the selfish side of her wanted nothing more than for Naga's words to be true and for her to come back to reality. She wanted to future that Inigo promised. She wanted to see him dance and travel the world with him. She wanted to get married.

"..NNGH...AAAAUGHHH..."

But most of all, she wanted him to be happy.

Una's eyes shot open, her final destination clear in her mind. Thunder cracked in her hands as she stared Grima's worn form, knowing that one shot would take the god out forever.

"...Una?!" She turned to acknowledge Chrom, whose stare was suddenly laser focused on the ball of magic sparking in her palm," Wait, what—"

"WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Una brushed Chrom off for the time being, praying that there would be time for goodbyes once Grima was gone for good," For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for..."

The older version of herself's eyes glowed red,"...YOU WOULD...NOT DARE!"

"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable...," The tactician let out a small, watery laugh before turning deadly serious," You've caused everyone I care about unbearable pain. Prepare to meet your end!"

Chrom had just barely made it past her when the Thoron shot from her hand, piercing Grima straight in the chest. She felt a small sense of surprise when she didn't feel the same pain the monster had, but instead an overwhelming sense of numbness. As Grima crumpled, her body began to disintegrate in the wind. Una vaguely brought her own hand up to look at, only to find it begin to disappear as well.

One look at Chrom was all she needed for him to pull her in his arms," Una! No!"

Now that it was all over, she squeezed her eyes shut once more," Thank you, Chrom. For...everything... Tell the others...my last thoughts were of them...and tell Inigo and Morgan…I love them. May we meet again, in a better life..."

Although she wasn't sure what was left of her, she swore Chrom tugged her even closer," Una! No! Ah gods, NO!"

The last thing she felt was one of his tears drop onto her shoulder before everything faded from her consciousness.

0-0-0

Grima was dead.

Grima…was finally dead.

Inigo released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he turned to his son, the brightest smile he could produce present on his face. They were finally, _finally_ free! His first thoughts were of this timeline's version of himself. Little Inigo wouldn't have to watch his parents die and live through the same hellscape he had. He sent a quick glance towards his parents, only to find Olivia hugging Lon'qu tightly. They could finally be a family again, and he was more than happy to watch them do so.

His eyes shifted from the elated couple to the horizon, a soft smile gracing his features. Maybe he and Una could start a family of their own. She seemed to like children well enough, and after he proposed to her, their own version of Morgan was bound to come eventually. Until then, they would travel like he promised. He wanted to see the world with her and Morgan.

The brunet's hand absently fiddled in his pocket, his fingers brushing over the ring inside. All he had to do was wait, just like she asked. Should he wait until they were in private, or confess his intentions in front of the entire army? He cringed. No, they would have to do it by themselves; He was far too embarrassed to do the latter.

"…Chrom?"

Everything warm and fuzzy he had been feeling dissipated the second he heard the sheer horror in Lissa's voice. He turned away from his son to face the oncoming prince and tactician, only to find one of the two making their approach. He wasn't sure if everyone had gone quiet or if his mind tuned out everything aside from the empty spot next to Chrom. Hell, he could barely breathe. It was only when the Exalt stopped directly in front of him, his stare focused on the ground, that his suspicions were fed," Where is she?"

As Chrom's head rose, Inigo's heart sank further and further until he could not feel it beat anymore. He had never seen such grief in the usually powerful man's eyes," Una…She said to tell you and Morgan that she-."

It was only then that their Captain finally broke down onto his knees, unable to utter the rest of the sentence out loud. Inigo could vaguely process the sound of Lissa's scream, or a hand he was sure was his father's landing on his shoulder. All he could process was, ironically, how hollow he felt. His throat hurt, his request coming out almost unconsciously," Chrom. _Where is she_?"

Chrom regretfully shook his head, holding his sister as she bawled into his chest," I'm so sorry, Inigo. I…I was _useless_. I c-couldn't stop her."

Oh gods… _Oh gods_. Reality smacked Inigo like a hammer to the back, though he knew the bruise he would receive from this blow would never fade. She had sacrificed herself. Una was _gone_ , and there was nothing he could do about it! What kind of cruel game was Naga playing? He got to keep his parents, but in their stead, she took Una? Sweet, loving Una who spent her entire life looking after others? He wet his lips, scrambling to find something, _anything_ , to say," What the _hell_ happened out there?"

He heard his mother's voice gently rise from beside him," Inigo, maybe you should take some time to process-."

"I _need_ to know," Did he? He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears not to come out. If he let go now, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to come back," I deserve at least that."

"He's right," Chrom ran his hand over his face, dragging any tears away with his palm. With a deep breath, he managed to compose himself enough to announce," The war is ended, my friends. Never again will the fell dragon trouble our world. I owe you all far more than words can ever repay. Especially Una, who gave herself to save us all," Despite the calm persona he was trying to push, Inigo could see the tension in his clenched fists from a mile away," Naga told us in confidence that the only way to truly defeat Grima was for him to defeat himself. Una saw this opportunity and…and made the ultimate sacrifice. To save all the worlds to come."

"No…," Inigo's brow furrowed at the new voice in the equation, only to have it pop off his head when it sank in who it belonged to," N-No! I refuse to believe that! How could that even be possible?!"

Oh gods, in his grief he had forgotten Morgan. Morgan, the boy who had just lost his mother and one of the only links he had to this world. Inigo cursed himself for being so blind," I-If mother was truly dead, I wouldn't still be alive," He persisted," Right? _Right_?!"

The mercenary abruptly pushed his own sorrows away to place both hands on Morgan's shoulders, using the act to ground both his son and himself," I…I don't know, Morgan."

"No! If it was true that mother was dead, I wouldn't be here!" Morgan physically shoved him away. Inigo only returned his grip, knowing that even though his son hadn't accepted it, hearing him refer to Una and death in the same sentence made the day's events feel a lot more real," Father? Please, say that she's going to be okay. Please."

Inigo tightened his grip, holding onto his son to keep himself from breaking to pieces. He wanted to say that. He wanted more than anything to believe that there had been some sort of misunderstanding, and that they would find Una peacefully napping in a field once more. He just…couldn't. And that fact alone made him fall into a deep depression.

"We'll see her again," The two boys were shook from their exchange when Chrom stepped forward," I'm sure of it. Do you know what Naga said? That Una would survive if our ties were strong enough," He finally managed to regain enough composure to nod confidently," This isn't over. I believe Una is out there...somewhere...And we'll find her. If it takes us the rest of our days, we'll find her...I promise."

Inigo could only blink. Why the hell hadn't Chrom _mentioned that before_? If Naga said there was even the slightest chance she was alive, he would take it. When Naga told him there was a chance to save his parents, he leapt on it. Time travel wasn't necessarily an option anymore, but Chrom was right; there _had_ to be another way. Despite what Inigo initially thought was a case of denial on Morgan's part, his son brought up a good point; if Una was truly gone, how would Morgan still be in their present?

Even if he spent every waking hour looking for her, he would do it. Una was the first person to give him a chance, and he would rather die than let her slip through his fingers again," Alright. So where do we start?"

0-0-0

"Hey, Inigo?" If the brunet had the energy, he would have jumped in surprise at the sudden entrance of Lissa into his tent. However, he had spent a majority of the ride home consoling his incredibly conflicted son and burying his own feelings down the hole in his heart. Placing his normal smile on would feel fake," Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Was she going to attempt to play therapist on him like the others had? He could already feel a grimace forming on his lips. When he wasn't consoling Morgan, his parents were trying to console him. Maribelle had placed a hand on his forehead to check if he was feeling ill in any way, and when he asked why, she said it was due to his lack of reaction. Inigo inhaled sharply. He was fine. If Una was alive like Chrom said, then there was nothing to worry about. No reason to mourn.

Still, turning away one of Una's closest friends was something she would frown upon. He took a small sigh before waving her in," Sure."

Lissa walked in as if she was in a daze, settling on his cot next to him. She didn't say anything for a few minutes, her focus entirely on the envelope in her hands. There wasn't a name on it, but for some reason, Inigo knew it was meant for him. The blonde eventually caught his gaze and handed it over, giving his hand a squeeze as they touched," She…She wanted me to give this to you if anything happened."

He felt his walls crack," Una?" Lissa nodded,"… _You knew_?"

"No! Of course I didn't-," The princess wiped her eyes, her emotions still raw from the events earlier that day," Who am I kidding? I am so _stupid_! She didn't say it outright, but she was telling me the truth the whole time and I chose not to listen!" Lissa hunched over, burying her face in her hands," I should have been able to talk her out of it! I should have told her to stay behind!"

" _I'm just being selfish, that's all."_

 _"I…I'm scared, Inigo."_

 _"Can you do that? Will you wait for me?"_

Inigo felt himself choke back a sob. Lissa wasn't the only one Una had given a warning to. _And he hadn't done anything to stop it._ The mercenary impulsively took one of Lissa's hands in his own, pulling his love's friend close to his side," It's not your fault, Lissa. I-I should have—I should have-."

"Oh, Inigo," She whispered back, her inner turmoil resonating right with Inigo's. She opened her mouth to say something else, but any words she could fathom melded with the silence encasing the tent. Instead, she settled with wrapping her other arm around his one for a half-hug.

For some reason, it made him think back to his childhood. Lissa had been the parent to last the longest in the future, and the one to bear the largest weight on her back. He hadn't known it at the time, but she had taken it upon herself to tell all the future children when their parents died. She spent so much of his past comforting others, but no one had been able to comfort her.

Hesitantly, Inigo took one of her hands and placed it over her heart," Someone told me once that the ones we love are never truly gone. Th-They're always right here with us, i-in our hearts."

The brunet flinched when he felt the princess's head drop onto his shoulder," Y-You're right. Una…She will always be with us."

He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, taking comfort in their shared guilt. The usual hustle and bustle of the Shepherd's camp felt almost nonexistent as they finally accepted the weight of Una's sacrifice. In any other case, they would have been celebrating. Grima was dead, this time for good. However, how could it be worth losing Una?

The dancer was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Lissa tap the letter in his hand," She would have wanted you to read that."

"Do you know what it says?"

She shook her head," I think it was only meant for you."

With that said, the Princess bid her farewell and left Inigo alone once more. He fiddled with the parchment between his fingers worriedly, too nervous to even open it up and look inside. Hell, he was scared. What could she say that was for his eyes only?

Eventually his curiosity won out of his anguish.

 _Dear Inigo,_

 _If you're reading this, it means something bad has happened to me. I wish I could tell you that I had not predicted this, but I knew what had to be done when Naga explained the situation. I'm sure Chrom had informed you of this, so I won't bore you with the details._

 _I apologize for writing this instead of telling you in person, but I didn't think I would be able to make it through without breaking down. I didn't want you to worry. I love you more than you can ever imagine, Inigo, and I have come to realize the severity of that statement these past few days._

 _I've spent a lot of time pondering what made me different from Grima, or more accurately, the version of myself that accepted her place as its vessel. Nothing fundamentally had changed aside from a few things here and there, such as Lucina's appearance and outsmarting Validar. It was only when I thought of you that I realized you're the reason fate has changed._

 _Before I met you, I was a rather lonely person. I had the Shepherds to accompany and support me, but they always looked up to me. I wanted nothing more than to live up to their expectations, so they never saw my weakness. I had convinced myself I would end up alone. I never took your flirtations seriously because I never considered someone could feel that way about me._

 _Then I really grew to understand you. Or, more accurately, you took the time to understand me. I was shocked when you noticed how I had been losing sleep or when I was frightened, because only Chrom had even considered those things before. I did not do anything about it initially because I did not understand my own feelings, but when I realized I could lose you, my heart revealed itself to me._

 _The other version of myself never had you. She never got to learn how to dance or cope with her nightmares, because she had to face her troubles alone. She never received the most loving son she could ask for, because she never had a man to father him. Inigo, without you, I may have succumbed to the very same fate._

 _Thank you for saving me._

 _I only have but a few requests; Please continue to look after Morgan, and if you fall for another lucky woman, just remember to keep me in your heart. I adore you, my love, but I understand that the best thing I can do for you now is set you free. You deserve to be happy in this new world, and I don't want you to grieve. Keep that smile on your face! I would hate to see it disappear because of me._

 _Love,_

 _Una_

Inigo's eyes blurred as he crumpled the note in his hands. Deep down, he knew why she couldn't tell him these things that morning. But, gods, if only she had! He would have stopped her! He would have…he would have…

A wave of panic rushed over him as he frantically uncrumpled the letter, folding it neatly before settling it in the pocket above his heart. He had almost just ruined the only thing Una left for him, all because he felt _useless_. There was nothing he could do now, nothing he could _say_. He wanted to tell her that she save him too. He wanted her to know that he loved her above all else! He…he wanted…

Everything crashed over him at once, finally shattering Inigo's resolve. He broke down into choked sobs the wracked his entire body. He wasn't going to give up on her. Naga said that there was still a chance that Una was alive, and he _needed_ her to know that he felt the same way. He promised her that they'd spent the rest of their days together, and he wasn't going to let a damned dragon take that away from them.

He wiped his eyes, a newfound determination setting in.

He promised he was going to wait for her, and he was a man of his word. Shakily, he retrieved the engagement ring meant to sit on her finger and held it in front of him," I'm coming, Una. I promise."

* * *

 **Oof.**

 **OOF.**

 **Okay, so this chapter was tough to get through because I _really_ didn't want to write Una dying. I added the flashback scene in today to tie in to the end (also, it will definitely come back up in the next part). Also, poor Lissa. I think it's canon (and if it's not, just generally accepted) that Lissa is one of the parents to live the longest. So having her have to break the news to all the future kids is tough. I also really wanted to draw a comparison between Lon'qu and Olivia's deaths from the future and Una's death in the new future, because Inigo really couldn't do anything about either. Boy, I am emotionally scarring our dancing boy, so buckle in everyone. Oh my god, that first scene between Inigo and Una was tough to write because it was their last scene together! They don't see each other during the rest of the chapter, which is _just heartbreaking_. I went a little more in detail for the Grima taking Una scene, but not too much. I think that scene is really well written in-game, so I left it mostly alone (this is not going to be the case for a lot of Fates, just a heads up). OH GODS, the scene where Chrom had to tell Inigo Una died was also THE WORST. And Morgan, oh my gosh. My poor baby just gained one parent and lost the other. I will say, he is going to be the one who believes in Una's return the most. I mean, how could he not? He wouldn't exist without her. And Finally, the letter scene. I really wanted Lissa to be the one to give it to him, because I feel like they could provide the most comfort to each other. They were also two of the only three that had suspicions about what was going to happen and unfortunately, couldn't do anything to stop it. The letter itself kind of explains my perspective on this story's course, and how Inigo really did change the future. Without Inigo, not much would have changed. He was the newest presence in Una's life, and just happened to make the deepest connection possible with her. He never gave up on her, and I think that was what ultimately saved her (Morgan too, but to a lesser extent). And with that, we're leaving Ylisse and heading to Nohr! Review time!**

 **DavianThule19:** **Yay! It's been a long time in the making, and only took them six(ish) chapters to figure it out, but they finally made their connection! Haha yeah, their age gap is a little weird. I think Una's used to the idea of having kids around even though she's only eighteen, but Inigo is completely foreign to the concept. Just imagine how Lon'qu and Olivia are going to feel when they find out they have a grandchild who is only ten(ish) years younger than them? Thank you for your lovely review!**

 **Alright, so the next part is either up or will be up shortly. I'm actually making this document the night before because I have a plane to catch at 4:00 in the morning and want to post these as time efficiently as possible. It is going to be called Wait for Me and will be taking place in the Fates Universe! I don't know if this affects anything, but the tags will be avatar X Laslow, which will be super weird since they're now from different games. I'm putting a short snippet below so you guys have a taste of what's coming!**

 _ **One second, she was looking up at Chrom's face glowing in the summer sun. The next, she was facing a gray sky. Una groaned, her hand a lot heavier than she remembered as she dropped it onto her forehead. Was that all a dream?**_

 _ **The tactician shifted into a sitting position, taking in her new surroundings with a pinch of salt. Gone were the soft, summer winds, replaced with a dead weight hanging in the air. The grass surrounding her was crackled and dead, coated with specs of what looked like dust. The irony was that, if her surroundings had been as lively as the one in her dreams, they would have been identical.**_

 _ **Una's heart dropped when that realization sank in. Had Grima won? No, that was impossible! She watched her crumple right before her eyes, and then proceeded to disappear herself. It was more likely she was dead than living in an apocalyptic future.**_

 _ **Oh gods. Was she dead? Una used the decaying tree behind her to help get onto her feet, mind reeling and blank at the same time. The last thing she remembered was Chrom holding her in his arms until her vision faded to black. She had died, hadn't she? Una gingerly pinched her forearm, frowning when she felt a tinge of pain coincide with it. She had always assumed that the limitations of the human body didn't follow into the afterlife. Either she wasn't dead or this was some sort of cruel purgatory.**_

 _ **"H—p!"**_

 _ **Una's eyebrows furrowed at the distant sound, immediately distracted from the matter at hand. Her fingers fluttered over her harness, pleased to find that a tome was still strapped on. It looks like my belongings died alongside me, she thought with a touch of chagrin. If only she had a Pegasus; she could reign justice in the afterlife.**_

 _ **The tactician's ears perked at the sound of hoofs stampeding in the distance. It wasn't long before the horse came into view with a young, blonde girl seated on top of it. She seemed to be running away from something, but as soon as she made eye contact with Una, she abruptly steered her horse towards her," I-I need help! Can you help me?"**_

 **Just a short bit! So Una's obviously not dead, but where is she and what's going on? You'll have to read to find out! Thank you all for sticking around, and I hope you join me in the next addition of this story! Your support has meant so much to me, and I love nothing more than reading your comments and feedback! It warms my heart to know you guys are just as interested in this story as I am. Thank you all for reading, and I hope to see you around the next story!**

 **-Uprisingdragon**


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